Tokyo-based startup Space One’s Kairos launch vehicle exploded during its launch into space, seconds after lifting off from the Kushimoto launch pad in western Japan.
This was reported by NHK, according to Ukrinform’s report.
The rocket was launched on Wednesday morning with a small government satellite, a reconnaissance spacecraft weighing about 100 kg, according to Japanese media.
If successful, Space One will be the first private Japanese company to launch a satellite into Earth orbit with its own launch vehicle.
Currently, experts are analyzing the data and trying to determine the cause of the failed launch.
Originally, the start of “Kairos” was planned to take place on Saturday, March 9. However, it was postponed for security reasons after a ship was detected in the “marine warning zone” established in the waters near the launch site in the city of Kushimoto.
At that time, the company announced that there were no problems with either the rocket or the launch pad.
As Ukrinform reported, on Tuesday, March 12, American private space company Rocket Lab successfully launched Japanese company Synspective’s Earth sensing satellite Strix-3 as part of the Owl Night Long mission.
Photo: “KYODO”