Japan’s next-generation H3 rocket has self-destructed after liftoff when its second-stage engine apparently failed.
The mission was to launch an observation satellite. The rocket has been mooted as a possible competitor to SpaceX’s Falcon 9.
It is the second H3 failure for Japan’s space agency, Jaxa, after the rocket failed to leave the launchpad in a previous attempt in February.
Tuesday’s launch from the Tanegashima space centre in south-western Japan initially appeared to be a success, with the rocket lifting off and the first stage separation appearing to go as planned. Soon after though, signs of trouble emerged.
“It seems that the velocity is coming down,” announcers on the Jaxa live feed said, with the command centre then announcing: “The second stage engine ignition has not been confirmed yet, we continue to confirm the situation.”
The live feed was then briefly halted, with a message reading “We are currently checking the status. Please wait.” When it resumed, the command centre announced that it had sent a self-destruct signal to the rocket after an engine failure. There was no immediate explanation for the failure.
The H3 was carrying the ALOS-3, a disaster management land observation satellite also equipped with an experimental infrared sensor to detect North Korean ballistic missile launches.
Powered by a new simpler, lower-cost engine that includes 3D-printed parts, the H3 is designed to lift government and commercial satellites into orbit. It is also meant to ferry supplies to the International Space Station.
As part of Japan’s deepening cooperation with the US in space, it is intended to eventually carry cargo to the Gateway lunar space station that Nasa plans to build as part of its programme to return people to the moon, including Japanese astronauts.
Reuters and Agence France-Presse contributed to this report
