Fire Occurs during Epsilon S Rocket Engine Test in Japan
Tokyo, Nov. 26 (Jiji Press)--A fire broke out during a ground combustion test for the second-stage engine of a Japanese Epsilon S solid-fuel rocket at Tanegashima Space Center in the southwestern prefecture of Kagoshima on Tuesday morning.
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, started the test, which was scheduled to last for about two minutes, at 8:30 a.m. But it immediately halted the test after flames and smoke rose with an explosion sound.
JAXA is investigating the cause of the fire. No injuries have been reported, it said.
The Epsilon S is an improved version of the Epsilon three-stage solid-fuel rocket, which was in operation until 2022.
The second-stage engine has been modified to improve the rocket's launch capabilities by increasing the amount of propellants from 15 tons to 18 tons and by sharing some propellant materials and a solid rocket booster with the larger liquid-fuel H3 rocket.
(2024/11/26-12:20)
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