WAKAYAMA, Mar 5 (KYODO/APP/DNA):A Japanese startup aborted the flight of its rocket on Thursday shortly after it was launched from a space complex in western Japan, in the latest setback following two previous failed attempts.
Space One Co.’s Kairos No. 3, an 18-meter, 23-ton solid-fuel rocket, lifted off in the morning from the privately run Space Port Kii in Kushimoto, Wakayama Prefecture, on the Pacific coast.
No casualties or damage due to fallen debris have been reported so far, according to local authorities.
Space One, which aims to become the first Japanese private entity to put a satellite into orbit, ended the ascent powered by the first-stage engine because it was deemed too difficult to complete the mission.
The rocket was carrying five satellites belonging to various entities, including the Taiwan Space Agency and other Japanese startups.
The aborted flight, following Wednesday’s last-minute cancellation of the launch, is another setback for the Tokyo-based company, which has been struggling with its rocket launches.
In March 2024, Space One launched Kairos No. 1, which exploded. The No. 2 rocket also failed to put a satellite into orbit when it self-destructed.
Space One initially planned to launch the No. 3 three-stage rocket in February of this year, but the launch was postponed three times due to factors such as inclement weather.
The startup that operates the Wakayama spaceport was founded in 2018 by Canon Electronics Inc., IHI Aerospace Co. and other companies that aim to commercialize space delivery services by reducing costs and providing regular rocket launches.
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