Rocket being developed by Japan’s space agency explodes during testing but no injuries reported

TOKYO (AP) — A rocket being developed by the Japanese space agency has exploded during testing but there were no reports of injuries. That’s according to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA. The cause of the accident at the facility in Akita Prefecture in northeastern Japan is still being investigated. It’s unclear when tests for the Epsilon S could resume. TV news footage from about a minute after the test began on Friday shows flames and gray smoke bursting in an explosion, and the roof blowing off a building. The failure is a setback for JAXA’s ambitions to enter fully into the launch market for small satellites.