Kyodo News is reporting that an engine being developed for use in JAXA’s Epsilon S small rocket exploded Tuesday during a combustion test at a facility in southwestern Japan, this according to the agency, the second such incident in 16 months.
The explosion occurred 49 seconds after ignition at 8:30 a.m. at the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture. There were no injuries or damage to buildings outside the center.
The combustion pressure was higher than expected, JAXA said, adding it will continue to investigate the cause. The ground test for the second-stage engine was scheduled to last about 2 minutes. The engine was 3.2 meters long with a diameter of 2.5 meters. It carried about 18 tons of solid fuel, about 3 tons more than the second-stage engine of the conventional Epsilon rocket, according to JAXA
“We are extremely sorry that we were unable to meet expectations,” JAXA project manager Takayuki Imoto said. “We can learn from failure. We will take advantage of this opportunity to develop a more reliable rocket.”
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