The Japanese company “Space One,” aspiring to become the nation’s first private enterprise to place a satellite in orbit, announced today that its second attempt to launch the “Kairos” rocket was aborted shortly after liftoff. This follows a previous failure in March.
In a brief statement, the company said: “Kairos was launched, but we canceled the operation after realizing that completing its mission would be difficult.” Space One confirmed that it is working to identify the precise circumstances surrounding the incident.
Television footage showed the white rocket lifting off from Space One’s launch site on the Kii Peninsula in Wakayama Prefecture (west Japan), a mountainous region covered in forests. Shortly afterward, the rocket, carrying five satellites, was seen descending after receiving a self-destruct command.
Unlike the initial attempt in March, where the rocket burned up just seconds after liftoff, no massive explosion occurred this time.
This mission is part of Japan’s broader ambitions to secure a larger role in the global market for space launch services.
Founded in 2018, Space One has faced significant delays for its inaugural mission due to challenges in sourcing components, exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine.
