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Japan suspends satellite rocket launch at last minute

29 Comments
By Eric Talmadge

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29 Comments
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Satellite technology, nuclear technology, Japan doesn't seem to be having much luck, does it?

-12 ( +8 / -20 )

They should maybe stick with building cars?

-13 ( +8 / -21 )

Doh! Guess they could learn something from North Korea.

-15 ( +5 / -20 )

NHK did a show on this last night. A lot of disappointed people BUT...new technologies present challenges and things go wrong more often then when they go right whether it is light bulbs, trains, software, phones, airplanes or rockets. My brother works in the same industry and failures happen, sometimes spectacularly. These scientists and engineers will analyse the data, find solutions and keep on trying. Look on the bright side: they still have the rocket in one piece and no one got hurt (discounting wounded pride). Im sure they will try again and succeed. Isnt it so easy to criticise when you have no skin in the game?

19 ( +22 / -3 )

Rocket was not exploded. That's not a bad news.

15 ( +16 / -1 )

There technology is much more advanced than North Koreas so clearly there is bound to be more mistakes.

5 ( +8 / -3 )

Something worked right, atleast it stayed on the ground instead of going up and maybe exploding! Saftey checks are in place. Now to find out why it did not fire up and take off. Hope this was not actually a Chinese carrier killer missile in the making,, actually I hope it is or can be converted easily to become one :)

-6 ( +2 / -8 )

Doh! Guess they could learn something from North Korea.

Yes, threaten the scientists with death if they fail.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

If it didn't explode or take off then it means they never ignited the rocket since a solid propellent rocket is like a roman candle which can't be turned off without burning out all the fuel.

I believe an abort signal went off during the final count down sequence which terminated the launch.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

They should maybe stick with building cars?

or cement concrete works.

-6 ( +4 / -10 )

Our friend in America should share their technology with us.

I remember more than 15 years ago, I heard on the radio in Australia, the host was making a joke and laughing at the Chinese attempt to launch a satellite. While the radio host may still be laughing, the Chinese have lauched people into space while Australia is still far from launching a stone. Anyway, keep trying you'll get there one day.

2 ( +6 / -4 )

Lots of overtime in Tsukuba tonight.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Our friend in America should share their technology with us.

Japan isn't South Korea... Or are you talking about Australia?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Just an aborted launch, how often did that happen to the shuttle, etc?

11 ( +12 / -1 )

Our Japanese scientists couldn't get it up? Call in AKB 48

-6 ( +4 / -10 )

actually great news that this was caught in the countdown- that is what the countdown procedures hope to do.

launching a rocket is so very complicated, getting out of the Earth;s gravity well is expensive normally- if Japan can do it cheaper it is a good thing for the country and others will come asking to use Japan as the launch base.

so not a bad thing at all

p

5 ( +6 / -1 )

JAXA had already pin pointed the problem to data relay problem between ground control and rocket in which the ground control computer has a glitch. They state that they it is possible to launch in three days at earliest.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Rats?

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

10....9....8....7...6...5...4...3...2...1...FAILURE.

-6 ( +1 / -7 )

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1-smithinjapan.

I watched this on live TV. The 10 second test failed in atleast one part. Rocket cancelled to save millions of dollars. Good job JAXA

0 ( +4 / -4 )

The launch was aborted 19 seconds prior launch by the computer. The countdown being announced was just for show since system check for this rocket is done by computers which by the way is one of the sales point in which many of the diagnostics is done autonomously.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Cortes: "I watched this on live TV. The 10 second test failed in atleast one part. Rocket cancelled to save millions of dollars. Good job JAXA"

Was it a failure or not?

1 ( +5 / -4 )

Smith, it's a failure in the same way that it's a failure when you get in the car to go somewhere and realize you forgot something. Instead of starting the car, you go back in the house to get what you forgot. So yes, you failed to get in the car and go somewhere. I hope to God you can recover from your incredible failure and try again.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Smithinjapan have you ever started to gas weld with the argon tank closed?

0 ( +2 / -2 )

I don't know why you people are trying to save face and bicker about semantics. The rocket failed to launch. So get it back to shop, find out what the problem is and run it up again. Whether it exploded or didn't explode is irrelevant.

There are contractual issues involved with sending a satellite into space. The JAXA probably suffered severe cost by failing to launch and will have to give huge discounts to whatever company it was serving, and possibly lose out future clients with each failing. If I was the client with that satellite or telescope, I would be upset and lose faith on you. Its a multi-million/billion dollar machine we're talking about here. There is no room for error or failure. Its not a freaking car or toy.

If you're not sure about the rocket, do a test run before putting in valuable inventory to make sure the damn thing can lift off and function properly.

-7 ( +2 / -9 )

don't know why you people are trying to save face and bicker about semantics. The rocket failed to launch. So get it back to shop, find out what the problem is and run it up again. Whether it exploded or didn't explode is irrelevant. There are contractual issues involved with sending a satellite into space. The JAXA probably suffered severe cost by failing to launch and will have to give huge discounts to whatever company it was serving, and possibly lose out future clients with each failing. If I was the client with that satellite or telescope, I would be upset and lose faith on you. Its a multi-million/billion dollar machine we're talking about here. There is no room for error or failure. Its not a freaking car or toy.

It is a huge difference. If the rocket explodes your payload is gone. Aborting launches during the last seconds before lift-off happens all the time in the world. Launching a rocket is difficult and last minute errors occur. You abort the launch, fix the problem and try again. As long as there is no months long delay before the next try it is not a big issue.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

highball7Aug. 28, 2013 - 03:11AM JST

I don't know why you people...

In another country, this statement is a fist-fight waiting to happen. I'd either rephrase or clarify because right now, it's not looking very correct or respectful, know what I mean?

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

JAXA announced it will launch the rocket sometime in September after they had re-done the simulation of telemetry relay to see if there are no other miss-fire within the data.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I didn't mean to disrespect, the phrase about "why you people" was poorly written. My bad. Its not meant to disrespect anyone. Just pointing out guys bickering about semantics and not directed to any group or people.

I just think the big issue is really not about the failure to ignite or launch but with the trust and image being projected. Of course I agree that saving the rocket is much more beneficial than losing it outright. I guess we are really talking about different impacts of this failure.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

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