Japan Orders Space Rocket To Self-Destruct After Failed Launch

The solid-fuel Epsilon rocket, which has been in service since 2013, was taking several satellites into orbit on its sixth space mission.

Japan's space agency said it sent a self-destruction order for its Epsilon rocket after its launch failed on Wednesday due to a problem that left the spacecraft unable to fly safely.

The unmanned rocket, designed for three-stage launch, was taking several satellites into orbit on its sixth space mission.

“The missile could not go on a safe flight,

"Because of the danger it will cause if it falls to Earth," an official with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) said in comments broadcast by TBS television.

"So we took measures to avoid such an incident and sent a signal (to destroy the missile)," he said.

Adding that information on the cause of the problem was not immediately available.

Japan Public Broadcasting Corporation and other media said this was Japan's first failed missile since 2003.

A JAXA live broadcast of the launch from the Oshinura Space Center in southern Kagoshima prefecture was interrupted and presenters said there was a problem,

without giving details.

The solid-fueled Epsilon missile has been in service since 2013.

It is smaller than the country's previous liquid-fueled model, and a successor to the M-5 solid-fuel missile that was discontinued in 2006 due to its high cost.

BY
ProBuzzFeed