Japan rocket self-destructs after failure on debut launch

Japan’s new H3 space rocket failed on its debut flight on Tuesday, March 7, after the second-stage engine didn’t ignite, prompting controllers to issue a command for the rocket to self-destruct, according to local media and Japan’s space agency. Local media reported the rocket was scheduled to place an Earth-observation satellite into orbit after its launch from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima. Credit: JAXA via Storyful