Japan on Tuesday canceled the launch of a new rocket, saying without elaborating that it had suffered a problem.

Japan on Tuesday canceled the launch of a new rocket, saying without elaborating that it had suffered a problem.

The rocket was supposed to be a cheaper and more efficient way of putting satellites into space.

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency said it canceled the planned launch of the three-stage Epsilon rocket from a space center on the southern Japan island of Kyushu.

It was unclear if the launch would be rescheduled.

The Epsilon is the first new rocket design for Japan since the H2A was introduced in 2001.