Japan Destroys Rocket after Launch Failure
2023-03-08
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1Japan's space agency had to destroy a rocket after a launch Tuesday because its second stage engine failed to start.
2The 60-meter-tall rocket is called the H3.
3It is Japan's first new rocket in more than 20 years.
4The misfire was the second rocket problem for the agency in the last three weeks.
5The H3 rocket blasted off from a launch area at the Tanegashima Space Center on an island in southern Japan.
6However, a problem happened in the rocket's second stage.
7The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency explained that the ignition for the second stage failed, and the rocket would not have made it into orbit.
8The agency, known as JAXA, said it destroyed the rocket 14 minutes into its flight because it could not continue.
9Yasuhiro Funo is the JAXA launch director.
10He said the rocket was unsafe at that point and had to be destroyed.
11It fell into the sea off the eastern coast of the Philippines.
12The rocket carried an Earth observation satellite called ALOS-3.
13It included a special infrared sensor that could follow military activity such as missile launches.
14JAXA also had a problem six months ago with a different kind of rocket.
15The H3 rocket launch had a two-year delay because of an engine problem.
16JAXA leaders said more study is needed to prevent future problems.
17Hiroshi Yamakawa is JAXA's President.
18He said his agency needs to "figure out what we should do to successfully achieve the next launch."
19JAXA spent over $1 billion on the H3, the agency's first new rocket in 22 years.
20It follows the H-2A, which will no longer be used after its upcoming 50th launch.
21The H3 rocket is smaller but can carry larger loads and is less costly per launch.
22Hirotaka Watanabe is a professor at Osaka University.
23He studies space policy. He spoke with Reuters about the future.
24"This will have a serious impact on Japan's future space policy, space business and technological competitiveness," he said.
25I'm Dan Friedell.
1Japan's space agency had to destroy a rocket after a launch Tuesday because its second stage engine failed to start. 2The 60-meter-tall rocket is called the H3. It is Japan's first new rocket in more than 20 years. 3The misfire was the second rocket problem for the agency in the last three weeks. 4The H3 rocket blasted off from a launch area at the Tanegashima Space Center on an island in southern Japan. However, a problem happened in the rocket's second stage. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency explained that the ignition for the second stage failed, and the rocket would not have made it into orbit. 5The agency, known as JAXA, said it destroyed the rocket 14 minutes into its flight because it could not continue. 6Yasuhiro Funo is the JAXA launch director. He said the rocket was unsafe at that point and had to be destroyed. It fell into the sea off the eastern coast of the Philippines. 7The rocket carried an Earth observation satellite called ALOS-3. It included a special infrared sensor that could follow military activity such as missile launches. 8JAXA also had a problem six months ago with a different kind of rocket. 9The H3 rocket launch had a two-year delay because of an engine problem. JAXA leaders said more study is needed to prevent future problems. 10Hiroshi Yamakawa is JAXA's President. He said his agency needs to "figure out what we should do to successfully achieve the next launch." 11JAXA spent over $1 billion on the H3, the agency's first new rocket in 22 years. It follows the H-2A, which will no longer be used after its upcoming 50th launch. The H3 rocket is smaller but can carry larger loads and is less costly per launch. 12Hirotaka Watanabe is a professor at Osaka University. He studies space policy. He spoke with Reuters about the future. 13"This will have a serious impact on Japan's future space policy, space business and technological competitiveness," he said. 14I'm Dan Friedell. 15Dan Friedell adapted this story for VOA Learning English based on reports by the Associated Press and Reuters. 16_____________________________________________________________________ 17Words in This Story 18stage -n. a section of a rocket that has its own fuel and engine 19ignition -n. the electrical system that causes a fuel to burn 20sensor -n. a device that identifies the presences of force or electromagnetic radiation and reacts to it in a defined way 21achieve -v. to do something, to make something happen 22figure out -v. to find something out by thinking 23_____________________________________________________________________ 24We want to hear from you. Do you think Japan will fix the problems? 25We have a new comment system. Here is how it works: 26Each time you return to comment on the Learning English site, you can use your account and see your comments and replies to them. Our comment policy is here.