Japanese startup Space One rocket self-destructs in 2nd failed launch

Startup Space One Co. failed for the second time Wednesday to become Japan's first private firm to send a satellite into orbit, as its rocket self-destructed after launch, dealing a new setback to the country's ambitions to lead in the commercial space sector.

The 18-meter-long solid-fuel Kairos No. 2 rocket self-destructed three minutes after lifting off at 11:00 a.m. from Space Port Kii in Kushimoto, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan's only commercial spaceport.

Speaking at a press conference after the unsuccessful mission, Space One President Masakazu Toyoda apologized to the firm's clients for "being unable to send the mission's satellites into orbit."

The company said a malfunction in the operation of the three-stage rocket's first-stage nozzle, about 80 seconds after liftoff, caused it to deviate from its intended orientation.

Despite reaching an altitude of over 100 kilometers, the rocket strayed from its intended safe flight path and automatically self-destructed, the company said.

The company's director, Kozo Abe, said the firm intends to "quickly begin" work on a Kairos No. 3 mission once investigations into the cause have progressed.

Space One said the mission was able to separate the rocket's first stage and the payload fairing. The nozzle had been examined in the period immediately prior to liftoff, the company said.

According to the local coast guard, there were no reports of injuries due to any rocket fragments falling into the sea.

The Kairos No. 2 rocket of Japanese startup Space One Co. soars after its liftoff from Space Port Kii, Japan's first private-sector launch pad, in Kushimoto in Wakayama Prefecture, western Japan, on Dec. 18, 2024. The company's attempt to become the first private firm in the country to put a satellite into orbit failed, however, following its unsuccessful bid in March. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

The launch, which was originally scheduled for Saturday, was postponed twice due to strong winds. The rocket was carrying five satellites owned by entities including the Taiwan Space Agency and Japanese firms Space Cubics LLC and Terra Space Inc.

A successful deployment of the satellites would have marked a major step forward for Japan's aspirations in the space sector at a time when global demand to place satellites in orbit is growing, experts say.

In the Tokyo-based firm's first attempt in March, the rocket exploded shortly after liftoff following the transmission of a self-destruct order. It said the failure occurred due to the incorrect calculation of rocket propulsion.

Space One was set up in 2018 by Canon Electronics Inc., IHI Aerospace Co. and other entities seeking to commercialize space delivery services by lowering costs and offering regular rocket launches.

The Japanese enterprise, which also operates Space Port Kii, is aiming to achieve the shortest lead times in the world, with launches taking place within a year of the finalization of contracts with customers. It is targeting 30 rocket launches per year by the 2030s.

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