Tokyo-based space startup Space One canceled the launch of its Kairos No. 3 small rocket shortly before liftoff on March 4 from Spaceport Kii in Kushimoto, Wakayama Prefecture, after a safety system activated. The launch was scheduled for 11 a.m., but halted 30 seconds prior. The company plans a press conference that afternoon to explain the incident.
Space One announced the cancellation of its Kairos No. 3 rocket launch on the morning of March 4 from Spaceport Kii in the town of Kushimoto, Wakayama Prefecture. The rocket, measuring about 18 meters in length and weighing around 23 metric tons, features a three-stage solid-fuel engine along with a liquid-fuel engine. It was set to carry five small satellites, including those from private companies and a Taiwan space organization. A successful launch would mark the first time a rocket developed solely by a private Japanese company places satellites into orbit.
The original launch date was February 25, but it was postponed twice due to bad weather, including on Sunday, March 2. The company had two failed launch attempts with Kairos in 2024. "A safety system was activated 30 seconds before the planned launch," an official from the Tokyo-based startup said. "The fuselage is not broken." No new launch date has been set, and one will be announced once decided.
Founded in 2018 with investments from firms including Canon Electronics, Space One aims to provide services for delivering small satellites into space. The plan called for separating the first satellite about an hour after launch. The company will hold a press conference on the afternoon of March 4 to explain the cancellation.
