Japanese space company Interstellar Technologies successfully launched the country's first private rocket dubbed MOMO-3, the NHK broadcaster reported on Saturday.

Axar.az reports citing foreign media that the previous two launches, in July 2017 and in June 2018, failed.

The rocket safely reached an altitude of 100 kilometers (62 miles), which was the aim of the launch, the broadcaster said.

​The length of MOMO is 10 meters (32.8 feet), the diameter is 50 centimeters (19.7 inches). It can carry surveillance devices weighing up to 20 kilograms (4 pounds). However, MOMO cannot put satellites into orbit, but the company plans to create a rocket capable of launching satellites and conduct the first launch by 2023.

Первая в Японии частная ракета MOMO была успешно запущена компанией-разработчиком Interstellar Technologies
Длина ракеты составляет 10 м, диаметр — 50 см, вес — около 1 т. цена проекта $445 тыс.
Ракета поднялась на высоту 100 км. Продолжительность полета составила около 4 минут. pic.twitter.com/EmdLiMnLLp

— Телемастер Игорь (@Telemaster68) May 4, 2019