A startup’s third attempt to put a satellite in orbit failed after its rocket spiralled back to Earth shortly after take-off.
Space One, hoping to become the first private Japanese firm to put a satellite in space, said that what went wrong was “under investigation”.
TV footage showed the Kairos rocket blasting off from the launch site in the Wakayama region of western Japan at 11.10am up into the blue sky.
But shortly afterwards, the slim, white 18m rocket appeared to run out of power and head back downwards in a spin.
“We determined that mission success was difficult and implemented flight termination measures,” Tokyo-based Space One posted on X.
The rocket was carrying several satellites including one for a high school in Tokyo, according to the firm.
The company’s first launch attempt ended in spectacular failure in March 2024 when the solid-fuel rocket exploded seconds after lift-off.
A second try started off better only for the rocket to suddenly spiral downwards after engineers terminated the operation because of a technical problem.
The latest launch had been slated to happen on Wednesday, only to be cancelled due to another glitch just 28.9 seconds before lift-off.
Companies such as Space One want to offer cheaper and more frequent space exploration opportunities than governments.
The startup is hoping to establish a satellite-launching service to tap into expanding global demand – emulating Elon Musk’s SpaceX, which has contracts with the US government.
Space One was founded in 2018 by businesses including Canon Electronics, IHI Aerospace, construction firm Shimizu and the government-run Development Bank of Japan.
The national Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (Jaxa) is also on a mission to become a major player for satellite launches.
Jaxa’s next-generation H3 launch system had experienced multiple failed take-off attempts before a successful blast-off in February 2024.
In December, however, Japan’s flagship H3 rocket failed to launch a geolocation satellite into orbit due to engine failure. — AFP
