The launch of a new type of solid-fuel rocket carrying the world's first space telescope for observing planets was scrubbed at the last minute Tuesday.

An abnormality in the position of the Epsilon rocket was detected 19 seconds before the planned liftoff, which automatically halted the countdown, according to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.

It would have been the first launch of a new type of rocket in Japan since the first H-IIA rocket was launched in 2001.