Japanese space agency's Epsilon small rocket engine explodes in test

A Japanese Epsilon S small rocket engine exploded during a test Friday, in the latest setback for the country's space agency.No one was injured in the explosion at the Noshiro Testing Center in Akita Prefecture, according to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. The incident occurred about one minute after the ground test for the second-stage engine began.The agency is developing the Epsilon S as the successor to the current Epsilon series to enhance the country's competitiveness in the growing satellite launch market.The first rocket in the series blasted off in 2013 and there were succe…READ FULL ARTICLE