Honda may be best known for building cars and motorcycles, but this week the Japanese company signaled its future plans with a key milestone in a space program: The company’s in-house research and development arm said it successfully launched and landed a rocket. This marks the first time Honda has successfully launched a rocket and landed it safely. The test was carried out not at some distant foreign launchpad, but at Honda’s facility in Taiki Town, Japan — one of the country’s emerging hubs for space technologies.

The vehicle flew 890 feet in the air before descending and landing just 37 centimeters from the designated spot.

That’s not luck. That’s precision.

The rocket used in the test is a nearly 21-foot-tall, 2,800-pound structure that launched in 56.6 seconds. The vehicle lifted off vertically, and then the four landing legs extended and gently set it down right where it was supposed to land.

This isn’t what you’d expect from a company whose expertise has been in transporting vehicles on the ground. Still, this is what Honda did in its test. And that’s proof that Honda isn’t simply brainstorming. It’s developing working spaceflight hardware that’s more than just a concept.

Honda didn’t dive into the space race out of nowhere. The company first said it would explore space technologies late last year, but most of what’s happened since then has remained secret. Now, after years of secrecy, this test is a peek into what’s been going on behind the scenes.

The company isn’t creating a brand-new system from scratch. It’s building on top of technologies developed in other sectors. For example, its automated driving technology is playing a big part in this rocket program. That same kind of fine-tuned control for self-driving cars is being used to handle takeoff, stabilization, and landing.

It’s not a far-fetched concept. It’s just one more way that this type of technology can be applied to another industry — and it seems to be working.

The rocket isn’t about showing off. Honda is positioning itself for a future in which satellites and space-based infrastructure are crucial to everyday business operations. Whether it’s communications, data, or navigation, being able to operate in the upper atmosphere is getting more important.

This rocket isn’t simply showing Honda’s tech chops. The company sees a role for itself in creating small-scale launch systems that could be used for satellites. That could eventually allow the company to play a part in its automotive, robotics, and communications segments.

But the company isn’t content with just that. Honda is looking to fly suborbital by 2029. That means getting past the 62 miles (100 kilometers) above sea level, which is typically thought of as the start of space. Those types of flights don’t orbit the Earth, but they do break through Earth’s atmosphere — and that’s a tough challenge in itself.

If Honda successfully flies to suborbital, it’ll have proven it’s got the propulsion, control, and landing tech it needs to launch more ambitious vehicles. But placing a satellite into orbit requires more than just lifting the rocket into space. It means building new rockets, launching mechanisms, and even possibly payload technology.

That next step is unknown. Honda hasn’t committed to making this rocket program into a commercial venture just yet. But this test puts the company on a trajectory where that decision could be coming soon.

Taiki Town isn’t just a backdrop. It’s becoming a key location for the aerospace industry. Located in Hokkaido, the region has signed up multiple private companies and national organizations, like JAXA, to develop testing equipment, support centers, and training programs.

As Honda becomes one of the private companies conducting real-world tests there, Taiki Town is quickly becoming one of Japan’s key space hubs.

There’s a long road ahead. Honda is getting into a space that’s controlled by giants like SpaceX and Blue Origin. Those companies have deep pockets and years of experience in orbital flight. But what Honda brings to the table is something different: a background in manufacturing efficiency, robotics, and mobility tech that could be a game-changer as it moves forward.

The test wasn’t a one-off. It’s a signal that Honda is gearing up for a journey far from Earth’s surface.

And while the rocket landed just a few feet from its target, the company’s journey to the stars is clearly going a whole lot higher.