Solid-fueled second-stage motor for Japan’s new Epsilon-S rocket explodes during static fire test
A solid-fueled second stage of Japan’s upgraded Epsilon-S four-stage rocket exploded 57 seconds into a two minute static fire test today, likely preventing that rocket’s planned first launch this year.
Police received an emergency call shortly after 9 a.m. from a nearby resident reporting that she heard “a loud noise and saw smoke” rising from the Noshiro Rocket Testing Center.
JAXA said that an explosion occurred during a combustion test of the second-stage engine of the Epsilon S rocket, which is an improved model of the small solid-fuel Epsilon rocket, at the facility in the prefecture in the northeastern Tohoku region.
While explosions during static fire tests of liquid-fueled rockets occur periodically, for a solid-fueled motor to explode seems much rarer, and suggests the mix and placement of the solid-fuel within the stage did not occur properly.
This failure continues a string of failures within Japan’s government-run space program, including a failure during the first launch of its new large H3 liquid-fueled rocket earlier this year. At present Japan’s space agency JAXA has set August 26th for one of the last launches of the rocket the H3 is replacing, the H2A, carrying an X-ray space telescope and a small lunar lander. Though today’s failure involves very different technologies and should therefore not impact that launch, it is possible JAXA will stand down entirely to see if there was some systematic issue throughout its management. It sure appears there is.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
A solid-fueled second stage of Japan’s upgraded Epsilon-S four-stage rocket exploded 57 seconds into a two minute static fire test today, likely preventing that rocket’s planned first launch this year.
Police received an emergency call shortly after 9 a.m. from a nearby resident reporting that she heard “a loud noise and saw smoke” rising from the Noshiro Rocket Testing Center.
JAXA said that an explosion occurred during a combustion test of the second-stage engine of the Epsilon S rocket, which is an improved model of the small solid-fuel Epsilon rocket, at the facility in the prefecture in the northeastern Tohoku region.
While explosions during static fire tests of liquid-fueled rockets occur periodically, for a solid-fueled motor to explode seems much rarer, and suggests the mix and placement of the solid-fuel within the stage did not occur properly.
This failure continues a string of failures within Japan’s government-run space program, including a failure during the first launch of its new large H3 liquid-fueled rocket earlier this year. At present Japan’s space agency JAXA has set August 26th for one of the last launches of the rocket the H3 is replacing, the H2A, carrying an X-ray space telescope and a small lunar lander. Though today’s failure involves very different technologies and should therefore not impact that launch, it is possible JAXA will stand down entirely to see if there was some systematic issue throughout its management. It sure appears there is.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
Readers: the rules for commenting!
No registration is required. I welcome all opinions, even those that strongly criticize my commentary.
However, name-calling and obscenities will not be tolerated. First time offenders who are new to the site will be warned. Second time offenders or first time offenders who have been here awhile will be suspended for a week. After that, I will ban you. Period.
Note also that first time commenters as well as any comment with more than one link will be placed in moderation for my approval. Be patient, I will get to it.