Japanese startup aborts rocket flight after liftoff

WAKAYAMA — A Japanese startup aborted the flight of its rocket Thursday just over a minute after launch from a space complex in western Japan, the company said, marking another setback after two previous failed attempts.

Space One Co.'s Kairos No. 3, an 18-meter, 23-ton solid-fuel rocket, flew for about 68 seconds, reaching an altitude of about 30 kilometers after lifting off at 11 a.m. from the privately run Space Port Kii in Kushimoto, Wakayama Prefecture, on the Pacific coast, the company said.

At a press conference, a Space One official pointed to the possibility of a problem related to the autonomous flight termination system that caused the rocket to self-destruct, but declined to elaborate.

"I apologize from the bottom of my heart for failing to put (satellites) into orbit," Space One President Masakazu Toyoda said at the press conference.

Toyoda said the company still aims to conduct 20 missions per year in the mid- to late 2020s and 30 missions in the 2030s.

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.

© KYODO