Japan's ambitious effort to launch its first new medium-lift launcher in three decades was aborted on Friday after an apparent engine glitch. The H3 rocket, carrying a land observation satellite, was scheduled to launch from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima prefecture, southwestern Japan, at 1:45 p.m. local time. However, two secondary booster engines strapped to the side of the space vehicle failed to ignite, leading to the launch being aborted. The launch was being live-streamed when the main engine of the H3 rocket cut off after the launch countdown had reached zero. After the launch was aborted, officials from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) said they would investigate the cause of the failure. The H3 rocket, which is designed to be more efficient than its predecessors, was intended to be a major step forward for Japan's space program. The rocket was slated to carry a land observation satellite, which would have been used to monitor volcanic activity, snowfall, and other natural phenomena. The failure of the launch is a major setback for Japan's space program, which has seen a number of successful launches over the past few years. JAXA officials have yet to announce when they will attempt to launch the H3 rocket again.