Japan’s space agency Jaxa has sent a self-destruction order for its Epsilon rocket after a failed launch. This was reported by various Japanese media. This was the first failed launch of a Japanese missile since 2003.
The Epsilon rocket, which carried eight satellites, had taken off from the Oceanura Space Center on the Kyushu Peninsula. But soon after launch, the missile lost control, making the runway unsafe.
The live broadcast of the launch has also been cut short. Bidders stated that there was a “problem”, but did not provide further details.
The Epsilon rocket has been in operation since 2013 and has been successfully launched five times. The rocket launched several satellites into orbit and was designed to launch in three stages. Epsilon was smaller than its predecessor M-5. It was withdrawn from use in 2006 due to high costs.
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