JAXA Aborts H3 Rocket Launch Due to Anomaly

Tokyo, Dec. 17 (Jiji Press)--The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, aborted the launch of an H3 rocket on Wednesday after detecting a ground equipment anomaly.

The launch was halted just before the rocket's scheduled liftoff at 11:11 a.m. from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan.

A system to inject cooling water at the launch pad automatically stopped 16.8 seconds before liftoff after a sensor detected insufficient water levels, JAXA said.

When launching a large rocket, a significant amount of water is poured onto a firewall and a smoke path under the launch pad to prevent damage from high heat and vibrations caused by the firing engine.

The rocket was to carry a Michibiki satellite, which will be part of the Japanese version of GPS.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]