Japan's new rocket engine explodes in critical test

Smoke and fire are seen during a combustion test of an engine for new small Japanese rocket Epsilon S at Tanegashima Space Center Kagoshima prefecture southern Japan Nov 26 2024 JAXAAP-Yonhap — Smoke and fire are seen during a combustion test of an engine for new small Japanese rocket Epsilon S at Tanegashima Space Center, Kagoshima Prefecture, southern Japan, Nov. 26, 2024. JAXA/AP-Yonhap

SEOUL, November 27 (AJP) - A rocket engine being developed for Japan's Epsilon S program exploded during a combustion test in Kagoshima Prefecture, marking the second such failure in 16 months, according to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).

The incident occurred at the Tanegashima Space Center when the second-stage engine, containing about 18 tons of solid fuel, experienced higher-than-expected combustion pressure 49 seconds into the test, JAXA officials said. No injuries were reported.

"We are extremely sorry that we were unable to meet expectations," JAXA project manager Takayuki Imoto said at a press conference. "We can learn from failure. We will take advantage of this opportunity to develop a more reliable rocket."

The failure raises concerns about JAXA's planned Vietnamese satellite launch by March 2025, potentially affecting Japan's position in the competitive satellite launch market.

The previous engine explosion occurred in July 2023 at the Noshiro Testing Center in Akita Prefecture.

AJP

Japan's new rocket engine explodes in critical test

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