The Japanese-made H-2A rocket, carrying a land-observation satellite, blasts off from the launching pad at Tanegashima Space Center on the tiny island of Tanegashima, about 1,000km (620 miles) southwest of Tokyo January 24, 2006. The No.8 version of the H-2A rocket carrying the Advanced Land Observing Satellite was launched successfully on Tuesday, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency said. [Reuters]