A Japanese private company, Space One, suffered a major setback on Wednesday when its Kairos rocket exploded shortly after lift off. The incident, which was broadcast by Japanese state media NHK, dashed the company’s hopes of becoming the first private Japanese firm to successfully launch a satellite into space.
The 18-meter solid-fuel rocket lifted off from Space One’s launch site in Wakayama prefecture, carrying a test satellite for the Japanese government. However, moments after take off, the rocket burst into flames, spewing black smoke across the launchpad. Firefighting sprinklers activated as burning debris rained down on the surrounding mountains.
“The launch of the first Kairos rocket was executed, but we took a measure to abort the flight,” Space One said in a statement, promising a detailed investigation.
This setback is a blow to Japan’s aspirations in the commercial space launch sector, a rapidly growing market. The government, which relies on satellites for surveillance, is particularly interested in developing the capability to quickly deploy replacements for existing satellites in case of failure.
The Kairos rocket was designed to place the satellite in orbit within 51 minutes of launch. Space One, founded in 2018, is backed by major Japanese tech companies like Canon Electronics and IHI Aerospace.
This is not the first time Japan has faced challenges in its space program. In July 2023, a different Japanese rocket engine exploded during a ground test. Last year, the country’s space agency JAXA also saw its H3 rocket fail to launch twice before finally achieving a successful lift off in February 2024. The H3 is envisioned as a competitor to SpaceX’s Falcon 9 and could potentially be used for future lunar cargo missions.
Despite these setbacks, Japan recently managed to land an unmanned probe on the Moon, becoming only the fifth nation to achieve a lunar soft landing.