Not since the 1960s, when world powers competed to be the first to reach the moon, has there been a space race like the one we are experiencing today. Major aerospace agencies such as NASA are constantly looking for new major space discoveries, companies such as SpaceX want to compete with nations, and new countries are seeking to overtake the United States in this sector.
However, not everyone is getting it right. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), one of the world’s leading agencies seeking to compete with NASA, has suffered a major setback in its space program after its H3 rocket experienced an apparent failure in its secondary engines minutes after its maiden liftoff.
Faced with this situation, the agency decided to send a destruction order to the rocket to avoid any possible risk to the population. The launch, which took place at the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture, was scheduled for last February, but had to be suspended due to technical problems. However, the March 4 attempt was also unsuccessful and represents a great loss for the archipelago.
A major setback for Japan’s space agency
Named H3, this rocket designed and built by JAXA aims to establish a stronger Japanese presence in the commercial satellite launch market. At a cost of some $540 million, it is a key project for the future of the country’s aerospace industry.
The failure of the secondary engines has been a major blow to JAXA, which will now have to investigate the causes of the problem and work on fixing it before it can attempt another launch. The failure adds to the list of setbacks the Japanese space program has suffered in recent years, including the failure to launch an observation satellite in 2016.
Nevertheless, JAXA has expressed its commitment to the project and has assured that it will continue to work to achieve its goals. However, it remains to be seen how much time and effort will be required for the H3 rocket to finally get off the ground successfully.
