Tokyo: Japan’s private space company Space One faced another setback on Thursday after its Kairos rocket failed during launch, marking the third unsuccessful attempt for the small satellite launch vehicle.
The rocket lifted off from Spaceport Kii in Wakayama Prefecture in western Japan. However, the mission lasted only a little more than a minute. About 69 seconds after liftoff, the rocket was destroyed by its onboard flight termination system after it began to deviate from its planned path.
The automatic system is designed to end a mission if a rocket loses stability or poses a safety risk. Footage of the launch showed the rocket struggling to maintain a stable flight before the system was activated.
The Kairos rocket was carrying five experimental satellites at the time of the launch. These included satellites from private companies and research organisations, including Tokyo based ArkEdge Space and a satellite linked to Taiwan’s space programme. All the payloads were lost when the rocket was destroyed.
The latest incident is the third failure for Space One’s Kairos rocket programme. The first launch in March 2024 ended in an explosion just seconds after liftoff. A second attempt in December 2024 also failed after the rocket lost control during flight.
The Kairos rocket is about 18 metres tall and is designed to carry small satellites into orbit. It was developed to support the growing market for quick and flexible satellite launches for commercial and security purposes.
The repeated failures are seen as a setback for Japan’s plan to expand its commercial space industry. The country has been trying to build a stronger domestic launch capability and reduce reliance on foreign launch providers.
Space One officials said they will investigate the cause of the latest failure by analysing flight data. The company is expected to review the rocket’s systems before planning another launch attempt in the future.