Japan mission to reach for the stars falls short

JAPAN’S second attempt to launch its next-generation H3 rocket failed yesterday and it was destroyed by the command centre after it was decided the mission could not succeed.

The failure is a blow for Japan’s space agency JAXA, which regards the rocket as its flexible and cost-effective flagship and has mooted it as a possible competitor to Space X’s Falcon 9.

The launch had been delayed several years and a first attempt last month failed when the craft’s rocket boosters did not ignite.

Yesterday’s launch, from the Tanegashima Space Center in southwestern Japan, initially appeared to be a success. The first-stage separation appeared to go as planned, but signs of trouble soon emerged.

“It seems that the velocity is coming down,” announcers on the JAXA live feed said when the rocket was about 300 kilometres (185 miles) above ground.

The command centre then announced: “The second stage engine ignition has not been confirmed yet, we continue to confirm the situation.”

The live feed was briefly interrupted by a message that read: “We are currently checking the status. Please wait.” When it resumed, the command centre said: “Destruct command has been transmitted to H3 because there was no possibility of achieving the mission.”

The rocket was not going to reach its planned trajectory without confirmation of the second stage engine, Yasuhiro Funo, JAXA’S vicepresident told reporters. Debris from the destroyed rocket is believed to have fallen in waters east of the Philippines, he added.

The cause of the failure will be investigated, Hiroshi Yamakawa, JAXA’S President said. “When a failure like this happens, it is important that we show how quickly we can move and show our findings with transparency,” he said.

“My responsibility is to focus on discovering the cause and make efforts to restore confidence in our rockets.

“The H3 rocket is a very important rocket for not only the government of Japan but also for private sector businesses to access space,” Mr Yamakawa added.

JAXA has said it hopes that the H3 will become a workhorse that could be launched six times, or so, per year for around two decades.