Japan's private space company Space One launched its Kairos No. 3 rocket on March 5 from Space Port Kii in Wakayama Prefecture but aborted the flight minutes later. This marks the third setback for the firm aiming to be the first private Japanese entity to place satellites into orbit.
Space One Co., a Tokyo-based startup, launched its 18-meter, three-stage solid-fuel Kairos No. 3 rocket at 11:10 a.m. on March 5 from Space Port Kii in Kushimoto, Wakayama Prefecture. However, about one minute after liftoff, live footage showed the rocket spinning, and five minutes in, the company announced it had terminated the mission, stating it "found the mission difficult to complete." The rocket was carrying five small satellites from entities including the Taiwan Space Agency and Japanese startups, with plans to deploy them into orbit at around 500 kilometers altitude about 50 minutes after launch.
Founded in 2018 with investments from companies like Canon Electronics Inc. and IHI Aerospace Co., Space One seeks to commercialize satellite launches by reducing costs and offering frequent services. The launch, originally set for February 25, was postponed three times mainly due to inclement weather.
This is the third failure for the firm. The Kairos No. 1 exploded seconds after liftoff in March 2024, and the No. 2 had its flight terminated about three minutes in that December. Space One had implemented measures based on lessons from those attempts for the No. 3. The company suspects issues arose during midair travel with the first-stage engine. President Masakazu Toyoda said at a Thursday afternoon news conference, "I would like to sincerely apologize to our customers who entrusted us with their satellites, as well as to everyone involved who supported the launch."
No casualties or damage from debris have been reported so far.
