A rocket developed by a Japanese startup company burst into flames seconds after a failed liftoff Saturday in northern Japan.
Television footage showed that the 10-meter (33-foot) pencil rocket lifted only slightly from its launch pad before dropping to the ground, disappearing in a fireball. Footage on NHK public television showed a charred rocket lying on the ground.
The incident caused no injuries.
Interstellar Technologies president Takahiro Inagawa said he believes the rocket suffered a glitch in its main engine.
He apologized for the failure, and said his team would collect the debris to analyze the problem and improve the rocket.
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