Japanese Rocket Engine Explodes During Test, Latest Blow to Country's Space Agency
Key Highlights :
Friday was a day of disappointment for the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), as an official reported that a Japanese rocket engine exploded during a test. The Epsilon S—an improved version of the Epsilon rocket that failed to launch in October—blew up "roughly 50 seconds after ignition," according to science and technology ministry official Naoya Takegami.
The testing site in the northern prefecture of Akita was engulfed in flames and a huge plume of gray smoke rose into the sky, as reported by national broadcaster NHK. Fortunately, there were no reports of injuries from the explosion. This is the latest setback for JAXA, as the agency had to send self-destruct orders to the rockets after its second attempt to launch its next-generation H3 rocket failed after liftoff in March, and after the failed launch of the solid-fuel Epsilon in October.
The Epsilon is smaller than the country's previous liquid-fuelled model and a successor to the solid-fuel "M-5" rocket that was retired in 2006 due to its high cost. According to JAXA, the cause of the failed launch in October was a defect in pipes that carry fuel. Despite the setback, Japan plans to launch the Epsilon S rocket next year.
The country's space program is one of the world's largest, and in October JAXA astronaut Koichi Wakata flew to the International Space Station as part of the Crew-5 mission. It is hoped that the Epsilon S will be successful in its launch, and that the country's space agency will be able to continue its successful exploration of the universe.
