A Japanese company saw its dreams of becoming the first private entity in the country to put a satellite in orbit go up in flames today (13), as the small, solid-fuel rocket Kairos exploded seconds after its inaugural launch.

The explosion is a considerable setback for Space One and the rocket industry in Japan.

It comes right as the government and investors ramp up support for the space sector, boosted by a national security buildup and the rapidly expanding demand for commercial satellites.

Reuters reported:

“The 18-metre (59 ft) rocket exploded five seconds after lifting off, leaving behind a large cloud of smoke, a fire, fragments of the rocket and sprays of firefighting water near the launch pad on the tip of mountainous Kii peninsula in western Japan, visible on local media livestreams.

“The rocket terminated the flight after judging that the achievement of its mission would be difficult,” company president Masakazu Toyoda said.

Space One did not specify what triggered self-destruction after the first-stage engine ignited – or when the company would launch the next Kairos – only pledging an investigation into the explosion.”

Kairos was built to self-destruct when it detects errors in the flight path, speed or control system that could potentially cause a crash that endangers humans on the ground.

The rocket carried an ‘experimental government satellite’ that can temporarily replace intelligence satellites in orbit in the event that they go offline.

“Although Japan is a relatively small player in the space race, the nation’s rocket developers are scrambling to build cheaper vehicles to capture booming demand for satellite launches from its government and from global clients.

Tokyo-based Space One was established in 2018 by a consortium of Japanese companies: Canon Electronics, the aerospace engineering unit of IHI, construction firm Shimizu and the state-backed Development Bank of Japan. Two of Japan’s biggest banks, Mitsubishi UFJ and Mizuho, also own minority stakes.”

Watch: Kairos, solid-fuel rocket made by Japan’s Space One, explodes seconds into its inaugural launch.

Kairos, solid-fuel rocket made by Japan’s Space One, explodes seconds into its inaugural launch pic.twitter.com/GNcRGqUxCZ

— Paul Serran (@paul_serran) March 13, 2024

Telegraph reported:

“’The launch of the first Kairos rocket was executed, but we took a measure to abort the flight’, Space One said in a statement, adding that ‘details are being investigated’.

Burning debris fell onto the surrounding slopes as sprinklers began spraying water in dramatic scenes watched by hundreds of spectators young and old gathered at public viewing areas including a nearby waterfront.

[…] Space One is hoping to become the nation’s first private firm to put a satellite into orbit, and the plan had been for Kairos – an ancient Greek word meaning ‘the right moment’ – to do so around 51 minutes after take-off.”

Read more:

SLIM IS BACK: Upside Down Japanese Moon Lander Recharged Batteries and Resumed Lunar Mission

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