During a ground test for the second-stage engine, Japan’s Epsilon rocket engine exploded on Friday, causing a delay in the launch of the Epsilon S, according to officials.
The explosion occurred approximately one minute into the test, but fortunately, no injuries were reported.
The Epsilon-6 rocket had already been ordered to self-destruct in 2022 due to a trajectory deviation.
The Epsilon S, developed as a successor to the current Epsilon series, aims to enhance Japan’s competitiveness in the satellite launch market.
The failure in the engine test has prompted the Japanese space agency to postpone the Epsilon S launch from fiscal 2023 to fiscal 2024.
