Japan rocket engine fails 2nd test, goes up in flames at space center

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) – A rocket engine produced by Japan on Tuesday failed its second test, the country’s space agency said.

The engine for Epsilon S small rocket went up in flames when it was undergoing combustion test at the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima province, said Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) in a statement.

There was a bang and huge smoke which engulfed the area.

But JAXA said there was no damage or casualty due to the incident.

Last year in July, the same engine failed its first test when it exploded at the Noshiro Testing Center in northeastern Japan.