Japan’s space agency halts Epsilon S rocket engine test after large fire at site

TOKYO: Japan’s space agency has halted an engine combustion test of its Epsilon S rocket, a spokesperson said on Tuesday (Nov 26), after a fire broke out at the test site, the Tanegashima Space Center in southwestern Japan.
Footage from public broadcaster NHK showed a blaze breaking out shortly after the ground combustion test started, with an explosion heard as well.
No damage has been reported, NHK said citing local police and fire departments.
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is checking the situation at the site, the spokesperson said.
NHK said the fire happened during a combustion test that began at around 8.30am, with media stationed around 600m away.
About 30 seconds later, a large explosion was heard, and what appeared to be something on fire flew towards the sea, it reported.
The Sankei Shimbun reported that orange flames burst out from the rocket engine placed on a horizontal platform before the explosion.
There were no reports of any injuries in the incident in the remote Kagoshima region of southern Japan.
JAXA has partnered with the aerospace unit of IHI Corp to develop Epsilon S, a next-generation model of the nation’s solid-fuel small rocket series Epsilon.
Shares in IHI were down as much as 6 per cent in Tuesday’s Tokyo trading.
A previous engine test failure of the Epsilon S rocket in July 2023, together with a launch failure of the sixth Epsilon rocket in 2022, led to months of investigation that caused delays in Japan’s national space missions and satellite launch plans.
Epsilon S was slated for a debut flight by the end of the current fiscal year ending in March if Tuesday’s engine test was successful.
JAXA’s larger flagship rocket H3, built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, also failed at its first launch last year but has since succeeded in three flights this year, launching Japanese satellites and winning orders from including French satellite company Eutelsat.
H3 and Epsilon S have been JAXA’s hope to build cost-competitive rockets on its own amid the rise of American commercial launch providers such as market leader SpaceX and small rocket maker Rocket Lab.