H-IIA Launch Vehicle No.3 (H-IIA F3) was launched theat 5:20 p.m. on September 10, 2002 (Japan Standard Time) from the Tanegashima Space Center. The H-IIA F3 was loaded with two payloads, the Data Relay Test Satellite (DRTS) and Unmanned Space Experiment Recovery System (USERS) Spacecraft. The launch vehicle was lifted off with its initial flight azimuth of 90 degrees.
The H-IIA F3 flew normally and injected USERS Spacecraft in 14 minutes 21 seconds after liftoff and DRTS in 29 minutes 36 seconds into their respective orbits. The Chile University Santiago Station started receiving the signal from DRTS at 5:59 p.m., and it was confirmed that the solar array paddles were being deployed as scheduled.