Japanese rocket "Epsilon S" exploded during testing (1 photo + 1 video)
It was able to operate for less than a minute, and then exploded and caught fire. 
A fire broke out in Japan during a test of the new Epsilon S solid-fuel launch vehicle. According to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), the fire broke out during a ground test of the second-stage engine at the Tanegashima Space Center in the southern part of the country.
The engine was scheduled to be tested for 120 seconds, but 49 seconds after the test, the engine exploded and a fire broke out. Japanese Prime Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said there were no casualties because the test was conducted in an area where access had been prohibited in advance.
The first launch of Epsilon S was supposed to take place before the end of the current fiscal year (March 31, 2025), the new rocket wants to replace the previous modification of Epsilon, which has been used since 2013. Epsilon S is a light rocket for commercial purposes, in particular for launching small and relatively inexpensive space satellites into orbit. Its length is about 27 m, diameter - 2.5 m; the rocket is capable of launching 1.4 tons of payload into low Earth orbit.
JAXA has not yet reported the cause of the fire, stating that a thorough investigation will be conducted. This is not the first incident with Epsilon S: in July last year, the rocket also exploded during engine testing, the explosion occurred approximately 55 seconds after launch.
