On Saturday, March 9, Japan’s first private orbital launch, planned by Space One, is scheduled to take place with the launch of a small launch vehicle. The launch was planned to be made from the company’s new launch pad, but was postponed due to technical problems. The new launch date has been set as March 13, with a deadline until the end of the month.

The Advanced and Sudden Rocket System (KAIROS) consists of four stages: three solid fuel and one liquid fuel. The height of the rocket is 18 meters, its width is less than 1.5 meters and its weight is 23,000 kilograms. KAIROS has the capacity to carry a payload of 250 kilograms to a 500-kilometer low Earth orbit with an inclination of 33 degrees, or a payload of 150 kilograms to a 500-kilometer sun-synchronous polar orbit with an inclination of 97 degrees. In terms of size and payload, it is comparable to missiles such as the Japanese H-IIA and the American Electron (before the payload capacity is increased in 2020).

KAIROS solid-fuel rocket engines are manufactured by Space One investor IHI Aerospace and were previously used on the Epsilon rocket developed by IHI and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). All initial stages are equipped with a thrust vector control system for precise insertion into orbit. Solid fuel engines are made of carbon fiber reinforced polymers to reduce their weight.

The engines were tested in early 2022, but the launch was delayed due to supply and avionics issues. These were initially developed by Canon Electronics, which held a stake in the company, but the work was later outsourced. It was possible to reduce costs and mass due to the use of consumer parts, especially automotive parts, and even the use of technologies that take into account Canon’s developments in component production.

The Kiev Cosmodrome is a new 15-hectare launch pad on the Kiev Peninsula. Construction of the spaceport was completed in 2021 and includes a launch pad, tower, control center and engine storage facilities. The spaceport is located at Kusimoro in Wakayama Prefecture, the southernmost point of the island of Honshu, south of Osaka. This location overlooks the sea, making it ideal for launches to the south and east.

The payload for this first launch will be a prototype “quick response” satellite for the Japanese Government’s Satellite Intelligence Center (CSICE). This satellite will collect information and perform tasks similar to those of other countries’ intelligence satellites. Details about the payload are limited due to confidentiality, but it is known that its mass will not exceed 100 kilograms and its optical resolution will be less than 1 meter.

Space One aims to take a new step in Japan’s space industry, draw attention to its achievements and lay the groundwork for future missions. The company is expected to continue developing and improving the launch vehicle in the near future and also conduct regular launches from the new Kia Spaceport.

Having your own launch pad will help significantly reduce the time between signing the contract and launching customers’ satellites. Unlike other operators that spend months lining up and integrating payloads, Space One guarantees launch just four days after the contract is signed. This deadline will allow Space One to promise the shortest response time in the world.

Space One was founded in 2017 and has quickly become a prominent player in the space industry. It was renamed Space One rather than Next Generation Small Rocket Development Planning to better reflect its goals and mission. The company plans to launch rockets more frequently than JAXA and will increase the number of launches to 20 per year by the end of the decade. This pace is important for reducing Japan’s launch costs, which have hindered private sector small satellite launches, and will help develop and strengthen the domestic supply chain. The company received financial support from Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) in 2022 and