The Japanese space agency aborts the Epsilon S rocket test after a fire – DW – 26/11/2024

The Japanese space agency JAXA canceled an engine test for the Epsilon S rocket after a major fire broke out at the Tanegashima Space Center on Tuesday.

“There was an anomaly during today’s combustion test. We are trying to assess what happened,” JAXA said.

Footage from national broadcaster NHK showed flames and smoke rising from the site on the southern Japanese island.

Journalists about a kilometer away reported a large explosion shortly after the test began at 8:30 a.m. local time (2330 GMT).

No one reported being injured, an investigation announced

No injuries were reported and the cause of the incident is under investigation.

“JAXA will conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the problem and consider countermeasures,” said Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, the Japanese government’s top spokesman.

“The development of flagship rockets is extremely important for the independence of Japan’s space program.”

But the Asahi Shimbun The newspaper reported that JAXA’s plan to launch the Epsilon S – the successor to the Epsilon – by March 2025 was now practically impossible.

Japan’s space program has suffered several setbacks, including failed launch attempts for its next-generation H3 launch system.
In March, a rocket from a private Japanese company, Tokyo-based Space One, exploded seconds after launch.

lo/jsi (AFP, Reuters)