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.The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) said the destruct command was issued around 15 minutes after launch “because there was no possibility of achieving the mission”. Credit: JAXA via Storyful