TOKYO — A combustion test for a new small rocket in Japan was reportedly marred by a fire that erupted Tuesday, leading to an explosion and resulting in large clouds of white smoke.
The incident involved the Epsilon S engine and has drawn attention, especially as it mirrors a previous explosion that occurred last year during a similar test with the same engine, according to reports from local news agency Kyodo.
Fortunately, there were no reported injuries in this latest event, as confirmed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, which is now looking into the cause of the fire.
Last year’s incident was attributed to a failure where a metal component melted and caused damage to part of the engine, reports indicated.
Japan’s Epsilon S rocket is designed to enhance the country’s capabilities in the increasingly competitive satellite launch industry.