The launch of a second pair of spy satellites was called off again Saturday due to trouble with the H-IIA launch vehicle.
The launch will be rescheduled for next Thursday at the earliest, according to the National Space Development Agency of Japan.
Originally set for Sept. 10, the launch had already been put off twice, first to last Monday and then to Saturday.
The trouble Saturday occurred in the second stage of the two-stage H-IIA rocket during the final check, the space agency said. The previous two postponements were both due to technical reasons.