(MENAFN-IANS) Tokyo, March 13 (IANS) The maiden launch of Japan’s Space One rocket failed on Wednesday when the Kairos rocket exploded seconds after liftoff, marking the first in the country’s private sector to put a satellite into orbit.
Shortly after 11:00 a. m. local time (07:30 IST), smoke and fires were observed during the launch in Wakayama Prefecture in western Japan after liftoff of the four-stage, 18-meter solid-fuel rocket, according to several local media outlets. broadcasts, Xinhua news firm reported.
In a statement, Space One said the flight was deliberately aborted, Nikkei Asia reported.
“A mid-flight termination procedure was carried out. We are looking into the situation,” the statement read.
The Kairos rocket carries a small government intelligence satellite that weighs 100 kilograms.
The company, founded in 2018, aims to offer “space messaging services” with 20 annual launches through 2020.
With a series of space launches, Japan is catching up in the space race, along with India, the US, Russia, and China. In February, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) successfully launched its flagship rocket the H3. The cost-efficient rocket aims to make nearly 20 satellites and probes launches by 2030.
The company effortlessly achieved the first “precise” lunar landing this year.
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