• 2 min read
Japan sets third try for Epsilon S after two blasts
JAXA aims to fly the Epsilon S before March 2027 after two second-stage explosions. A standalone test of the redesigned stage is set for July 23.
Image: iXBT
Japan’s JAXA is preparing a third attempt to move the troubled Epsilon S rocket toward flight, with the agency targeting its first test launch before March 2027.
According to NHK, JAXA will first run a separate test of the rocket’s upgraded second stage on July 23 at the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture. That stage has been the program’s biggest problem after it was destroyed twice during development.
Epsilon S is a new version of Japan’s Epsilon family of solid-fuel rockets, developed by JAXA together with aerospace company IHI. The three-stage launcher is designed to place small satellites into orbit and builds on a program that began in 2013.
The second-stage failures have blocked the rocket from reaching full flight testing. The first accident happened in 2023 during a ground test in Akita Prefecture, and a second explosion followed in 2024 at Tanegashima. JAXA engineers are now working to fix the identified defects ahead of the next phase of the program.
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Frontier Editor
Dan is our resident futurist, covering electric mobility, space exploration, and the smart home. He's interested in atoms just as much as bits. Whether it's a new battery chemistry, a reusable rocket, or a protocol that finally makes IoT devices talk to each other, Dan breaks down the engineering that pushes humanity forward.
via iXBT
