Tokyo – A Japanese space startup announced that its second attempt to launch a rocket carrying satellites into orbit was successfully canceled just minutes after liftoff on Wednesday. This occurrence comes nine months after a previous launch attempt ended dramatically in an explosion.
The Kairos No. 2 rocket, developed by Space One, lifted off from a launch site located in the mountainous region of Wakayama, situated in central Japan.
The company reported that the decision to abort the mission was made after determining that the rocket would likely not fulfill its intended mission. The specific reasons for this launch failure have not been disclosed yet. Space One plans to address these details during a press conference later on Wednesday.
Space One’s ambition is to become the first Japanese company to successfully place a satellite into orbit, aiming to revitalize Japan’s somewhat stagnant space sector with a small, cost-effective rocket designed for reliable space transportation services.
Wednesday’s launch attempt faced delays initially set for Saturday due to high winds and followed an unsuccessful inaugural flight in March. During that earlier launch, engineers chose to destroy the rocket five seconds after takeoff. The failed mission was carrying a government satellite intended for tracking military activities and missile launches from North Korea.
The Kairos No. 2 was meant to transport five small satellites, including one from Taiwan’s space agency, in addition to several from various Japanese startups.
Following the initial flight’s malfunction, Space One asserted that it had addressed the root cause of the failure, which was linked to a miscalculation concerning the propulsion system in the rocket’s first stage.
Japan is optimistic that Space One could help establish a robust domestic space industry, capable of competing with entities from the United States.
Founded in 2018 and based in Tokyo, Space One is backed by investments from several prominent Japanese firms, such as Canon Electronics, IHI, and Shimizu, as well as significant banking entities. The company’s goal is to offer affordable space delivery services with plans for frequent launches—up to 20 times annually—compared to the six launches anticipated by the government’s space initiatives.
Japan’s space programs are primarily spearheaded by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), along with leading companies like Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and IHI.
These entities are working on developing two principal rocket models: the larger H3 rocket and the smaller Epsilon, both designed to meet the increasing demand for satellite transport.