Japan’s space agency forced to blow up its own rocket when a second-stage engine failed to ignite
It was all systems go today for Japan until the country’s newest rocket suffered engine failure mid-flight.
Officials were forced to self-destruct the vehicle when a second-stage engine failed to ignite.
It’s a major blow to Japan’s efforts to expand access to space and remain competitive in a launch market largely dominated by Elon Musk and SpaceX.
The 57-metre tall H3 rocket had lifted off from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s space port, following an aborted mission just last month.
JAXA says it was forced to send a self-destruct signal to the rocket after the engine failure.
The H3 was carrying a disaster management land observation satellite that is also equipped with an experimental infrared sensor designed to detect North Korean ballistic missile launches.
It was also meant to ferry supplies to the International Space Station. #trending #featured
