The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has destroyed its H3 rocket minutes after it took off for its maiden flight by an apparent failure in its secondary enginesafter a previous failed launch attempt last February.
Jointly developed by JAXA and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, the rocket took off from the Tanegashima Space Centerin Kagoshima (southwest), at 10:37 in the morning this Tuesday (1:37 GMT), however, minutes after takeoff, her secondary engines failed to ignite so the JAXA sent a self-destruct order for it.
In the previous attempton February 17, Japan’s new flagship rocket was unable to make its maiden flight after it their complementary boosters not firing for which reason it did not take off, although the main engines of the first phase of it did ignite correctly.
The launch of the H3 rocket, delayed several times in recent years, generates great expectations due to its weight in the japanese aerospace program and the next generation of space development.
The first flight of the rocket was originally scheduled for the end of March 2021, but the date was pushed back about two years due to problems with the engine of its first phase LE-9, recently developed, and due to the replacement of parts.
The H3, which is called to replace the H2-A and H2-B models used by JAXA to put satellites into orbitis the first space rocket to use an engine in its first phase (the aforementioned LE-9) that works with an expander cycle, a system that improves efficiency in the use of fuel.
The rocket, marking the first renewal of the country’s flagship launch vehicle in two decades, is due to launch into orbit the DAICHI-3 earth observation satellitewhich will be used to monitor the situation in areas affected by disasters.
