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▼ Launchpad Fire Forces Japan to Postpone Cargo Ship Launch to Space Station: Report
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Japan called off a planned cargo ship launch to the International Space Station today (Sept. 10) after a fire erupted on the launch platform for the mission's rocket, according to press reports.
"Today’s launch is postponed because we found a fire around the hole at the deck of the mobile launcher at 3:05 a.m. JST (2:05 p.m. EDT/1805 GMT). Now we are trying to extinguish a fire," representatives with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, the rocket's builder, said in a Twitter status update.
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) was counting down toward the launch of an HTV-8 cargo ship atop an H-IIB rocket when the launchpad fire occurred at the Tanegashima Space Center, according to Aviation Week space editor Irene Klotz, who posted live updates from the launch site on Twitter. The fire burned for about two hours before it was extinguished, and no injuries were reported, Klotz said.
The cause of the fire, and whether it caused any damage to the H-IIB rocket, have yet to be determined, Klotz added.
Ray Iechika Takaku, a spokesperson for Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, told reporters on site that the company has never seen a launchpad fire during H-IIB launches, Klotz reported on Twitter. The fire began after fueling for the launch was complete, she added.
"Today’s launch is postponed because we found a fire around the hole at the deck of the mobile launcher at 3:05 a.m. JST (2:05 p.m. EDT/1805 GMT). Now we are trying to extinguish a fire," representatives with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, the rocket's builder, said in a Twitter status update.
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) was counting down toward the launch of an HTV-8 cargo ship atop an H-IIB rocket when the launchpad fire occurred at the Tanegashima Space Center, according to Aviation Week space editor Irene Klotz, who posted live updates from the launch site on Twitter. The fire burned for about two hours before it was extinguished, and no injuries were reported, Klotz said.
The cause of the fire, and whether it caused any damage to the H-IIB rocket, have yet to be determined, Klotz added.
Ray Iechika Takaku, a spokesperson for Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, told reporters on site that the company has never seen a launchpad fire during H-IIB launches, Klotz reported on Twitter. The fire began after fueling for the launch was complete, she added.
- September 11, 2019
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