The Japanese startup’s second attempt to launch a solid-fuel rocket ended in chaos, with Kairos spiraling downward minutes after liftoff. The failed launch marks another setback for Japan’s private space industry, following a series of explosive rocket attempts earlier this year.
Japan’s Space One launched its Kairos rocket on Wednesday from its Spaceport Kii launch pad in Kushimoto, Wakayama Prefecture. The rocket initially appeared to be flying normally, but things soon began to fall apart. About two minutes after liftoff, Kairos appeared to lose attitude control and began to roll downward. Space One Director Mamoru Endo told reporters at a post-launch press conference, “The rocket self-destructed after detecting an abnormality in the nozzle control of the first stage engine and the rocket’s trajectory.” Reuters.
Kairos was carrying five small satellites from the Taiwan Space Agency and Japanese companies Lagrapo, Space Cubics and Terra Space, as well as a fifth customer who requested anonymity.
This was Space One’s second attempt to become Japan’s first commercial company to independently place satellites in Earth orbit. Together, they have accomplished this feat many times.) The company first attempted to launch Kairos in March, but the rocket exploded just seconds after passing a tower in Wakayama Prefecture. The rocket’s autonomous self-destruct system was activated approximately five seconds after liftoff due to an abnormal flight configuration. Kairos was carrying an experimental satellite for the Japanese government.
of Three-stage Kairos rocketThe rocket, with a solid-fuel engine and a liquid-fueled post-boost stage, is designed to carry payloads of up to 550 pounds (250 kilograms) into low Earth orbit. With its 18-meter (59-foot) tall rocket, Space One hopes to compete with companies like SpaceX and Rocket Lab by delivering satellites to space quickly and affordably. The company aims to launch 30 rockets a year by the 2030s. According to To Kyodo News. Space One may have to wait a little longer to hit that pace, but Rocket Lab’s Kairos, a rocket similar to the Electron, seems capable of doing so.
After the launch failure, Space One President Masakazu Toyoda reportedly told reporters, “We do not consider this incident to be a failure.” AFP. “We believe the data and experience gained will be extremely valuable and will help us in our next challenges.”
JAXA also aims to compete in the new space age. Despite some failures, JAXA launched The new H3 rocket was successfully tested on its second attempt in February. Meanwhile, Japan’s Epsilon S rocket exploded during a test in late November.
