ABC



 

Japan's Epsilon-6 rocket has been destroyed after a failed launch operation on Wednesday morning, Kyodo News and other Japanese media have reported.

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) sent a self-destruct order to the rocket about seven minutes after take-off, according to Kyodo news agency.

Public broadcaster NHK said the signal was sent after JAXA determined that the rocket would not be able to be flown safely.

The rocket's cargo included eight satellites intended for orbit, some developed by private companies and universities.

There were no reports of injury nor property damage on the ground after its self-destruction.

The Epsilon-6's failure was the first failure of a major Japanese rocket since 2003, and the first of the Epsilon series, which had previously seen five successful launches.

Japan's Epsilon series consists of smaller rockets than the country's previous models, and they are intended to reduce launch costs by incorporating artificial intelligence and relying on solid fuel instead of liquid.
 

Key points:

• The Epsilon-6 rocket was issued a self-destruct order minutes after launching due to flight problems
• There were no reports of injury nor property damage after the rocket's destruction
• It's the first launch failure of an Epsilon rocket, which use AI and rely on solid fuel to cut costs