Kairos: Japan's First Pirvate-Sector Rocket Explodes Shortly After Launch
Japan”s first privately developed rocket failed in its mission. The rocket named Kairos burst into flames in midair shortly after its launch on Wednesday. The lightweight rocket was developed by Space One, a Tokyo-based startup.
The video footage of the event was captured by local media livestreams. The rocket was attempted to launch from startup”s own launch pad in Kushimoto, Wakayama Prefecture, around 11 am. The 18-meter, 23-ton Kairos rocket, carried a small government test satellite.
View this post on Instagram
The rocket burst into flames soon after takeoff, and huge chunks of fumes engulfed the region. The video also showed that the remains of the rocket were scattering into nearby mountains and into the sea. In order to extinguish flames in the affected region, sprinklers began spraying water. So far, no reports of injuries or other damages have been reported.
Kairos” launch planned by Space One got postponed multiple times, and most recent one was due to the presence of a ship in a risk area. If the attempt went successful, Space One could have become Japan”s first commercial company to put a rocket into orbit. The name Kairos in ancient Greek meant “the right moment”.
Founded in 2018, Space One is conglomaration of Japanese companies including Canon Electronics, the aerospace engineering unit of IHI, construction firm Shimizu and the state-backed Development Bank of Japan. Besides, minority shares are held by Mitsubishi UFJ and Mizuho, two biggest banks in Japan.
In last month, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency successfully launched its next-generation and cost-efficient rocket, the H3.
