Japanese space startup aborts second satellite launch attempt minutes after liftoff


Japan's Space One's small, solid-fuelled Kairos rocket lifts off at Space One's launching pad in Kushimoto on Dec 18, 2024. - Kyodo via Reuters

TOKYO: A Japanese space startup said its second attempt to launch a rocket carrying satellites into orbit had been aborted minutes after liftoff Wednesday (Dec 18), nine months after the company's first launch attempt ended in an explosion.

Space One's Kairos No. 2 rocket lifted off from a site in the mountainous prefecture of Wakayama in central Japan.

The company said it had aborted the flight after concluding that it was unlikely to complete its mission. The cause of the flight failure was not immediately known. Space One is expected to give further details at a news conference later Wednesday.

Space One aims to be Japan’s first company to put a satellite into orbit, hoping to boost to Japan’s lagging space industry with a small rocket for an affordable space transport business.

Wednesday's flight, postponed twice from Saturday due to strong winds, came nine months after a failed debut flight in March, when the rocket was intentionally exploded five seconds after takeoff. The flight was carrying a government satellite that was intended to monitor North Korea’s missile launches and other military activities.

Kairos No. 2 rocket was carrying five small satellites, including one from the Taiwanese space agency and several from Japanese startups.

Space One said it had fixed the cause of the debut flight failure, which stemmed from a miscalculation of the rocket’s first-stage propulsion.

Japan hopes the company can pave a way for a domestic space industry that competes with the United States.

Tokyo-based Space One was set up in 2018 with investments from major Japanese companies, including Canon Electronics, IHI, Shimizu and major banks, to commercialize space delivery services at lower costs and regular flights as many as 20 times a year, compared to six currently planned by the government-led space program.

Japan’s space development programs are led by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, and industry leaders such as Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and IHI, as they develop two main flagship rockets, the large H3 rocket and the much smaller Epsilon, to cater to the growing satellite transport business. - AP

Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!

Japan , space , Kairos , launch , second , failure

   

Next In Aseanplus News

Nusantara authority shifts focus to construction of legislative office buildings, Supreme Court
Chinese duo powers Bangladesh’s rickshaws with battery startup
Squid Game 2’s new voting twist a ‘fun’ parallel to real-world political events, says creator
India 'all-time great' and spin master Ashwin retires from international cricket
Hun Manet predicts big things for development of Arey Ksat
Russian in Pattaya fined for driving car lit up like Xmas tree
Lum Chang Building Contractors fined over 2020 workplace death near Changi MRT depot
Elon Musk says Starlink inactive in India after second device seized
Tokyo’s female rickshaw pullers entertain tourists at Asakusa area
CIMB Bank and PayNet launch Malaysia’s first payment terminal with automated e-invoice capability

Others Also Read