Japan's latest attempt to launch a new medium-lift rocket into space has ended in failure after the vehicle was destroyed in mid-air. The 57-metre (187 ft) tall H3 rocket had lifted off from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's (JAXA) Tanegashima space port, following an aborted launch last month. However, its second-stage engine failed to ignite, leading JAXA to send a self-destruct signal to the rocket. "We regret to announce that the launch of the H3 Launch Vehicle No. 5 was unsuccessful," JAXA said in a statement. "We will analyze the cause of the failure and take appropriate measures." The failed launch is a major setback for Japan's efforts to expand access to space and remain competitive in a launch market roiled by Elon Musk's SpaceX. JAXA had hoped that the H3 rocket would be a more cost-effective way to launch payloads into space. The failure is also a blow to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's plans to make Japan a leader in space exploration. Abe has called for Japan to become a "space power", and in 2019 the government established a new space agency to oversee the nation's space activities. It is not yet known when JAXA will attempt to launch the H3 rocket again.