JAXA (Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency) has issued a self-destruct order to the Epsilon-6 Rocket carrying the RAISE-3 satellite 45 minutes after taking off from Uchinoura Space Center in Kagoshima.
The rocket was flying in an unsafe manner. This is developing.
From Japanese media:
“On the morning of the 12th, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) launched the solid fuel rocket ” Epsilon ” No. 6 from the Uchinoura Space Observatory in Kimotsuki-cho, Kagoshima Prefecture, but some kind of trouble occurred and the “rocket cannot fly safely,” and issued a command destruction signal to self-destruct the rocket. Launch failed.”
According to NASA:
”RAISE-3 stands for RApid Innovative payload demonstration Satellite-3 and the satellite was to provide on-orbit demonstrations for seven different components that were selected from public consultation. The RAISE-3 satellite was built into a square shape that features one body-mounted solar panel that uses Photovoltaic power generation.
RAISE-3 has dimensions of 1 m by 0.8 m by 1 m and a mass of 110 kg.
Once launched by Epsilon, RAISE-3 was to operate in a Sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 560 km and an inclination of 97.6 degrees. In total, the mission period for RAISE-3 was expected to last 13 months plus an additional month after launch for on-orbit checkouts and initial operations.
Liftoff of the sixth flight of Epsilon. (Credit: JAXA)
Some of the secondary payloads on this mission included MAGNARO, MITSUBA, KOSEN-2, WASEDA-SAT-ZERO, and FSI-SAT.”
