Space One rocket explodes after liftoff from Japan private launch pad
A Space One Co. satellite-carrying rocket exploded Wednesday shortly after liftoff from a spaceport in western Japan, the country’s first commercial launch site, a live stream video showed.
The company had sought to become Japan’s first private firm to put a satellite into orbit, but it failed in launching the 18-meter-long rocket Kairos from Space Port Kii in Kushimoto, Wakayama Prefecture.
Local firefighters were dispatched to the scene. Police said there have been no reports of casualties so far.
Following the explosion, the company said “flight termination measures” had been implemented.
The launch was initially scheduled for Saturday but was delayed after the company discovered the presence of ship in a section of the ocean it had designated as needing to be empty for safety.
According to the Cabinet Satellite Intelligence Center, the satellite on board the rocket was meant to be able to perform a part of the functions of an existing government satellite in monitoring military facilities in North Korea.
Space One, established in 2018, seeks to commercialize space delivery services by lowering costs and offering rocket launches at high frequency. It aims to send into space 30 rockets a year by the 2030s.
The company is aiming for short lead times of launches less than one year after concluding contracts with customers.
The company was set up by Canon Electronics Inc., IHI Aerospace Co., Shimizu Corp. and the government-owned Development Bank of Japan.
Plans to launch its first rocket, initially set to take place by the end of March 2022 at the latest, were postponed four times due to the pandemic and logistics delays.
