The engine of a Japanese rocket exploded during a ground test in northern Japan on Friday, a new setback for Jaxa, the country’s space agency.
The engine of the Epsilon S, an upgraded version of the small Epsilon-6 launch vehicle that failed shortly after launch last October, exploded “about 50 seconds after ignition,” according to an official with Japan’s science ministry. and technology interviewed by AFP.
Footage from Japanese public broadcaster NHK showed a loud explosion inside a metal shelter, followed by flames and thick gray smoke billowing at the test site in Akita Prefecture (north).
La Jaxa has not reported any injuries at this time, the ministry official said.
The Japanese space agency is currently experiencing an embarrassing series of failures, while until then it was known for the high reliability of its rockets.
Following the failure of Epsilon-6 shortly after launch in October 2022 due to a trajectory issue, Jaxa suffered two more consecutive setbacks this year with its next-generation H3 launch vehicle.
This massive model had failed to take off for the first time in February, and on a second attempt the following month, the rocket was ordered to self-destruct shortly after launch due to a malfunction that made the mission’s success impossible .
Jaxa is planning a first Epsilon S launch next year, while the timeline for a new H3 attempt is yet to be determined.