Space One Co. a Japanese startup backed by Canon Inc. failed to launch its first rocket into space, a major setback in its efforts to join the booming commercial launch market, Bloomberg reports.
The lightweight Kairos rocket exploded just after takeoff around 11 a.m. local time Wednesday from the Kii spaceport, about 420 kilometres (260 miles) southwest of Tokyo. Live footage showed a plume of smoke forming around the fiery debris, which was soon extinguished.
A self-destruct order was sent to the craft about five seconds after launch, Space One CEO Masakazu Toyoda told reporters. No one was injured and all fragments fell within the compound, Toyoda said:
“A panel will be formed to investigate what happened…Until then, its difficult to determine what will happen regarding future launches.”
Canon Electronics Inc. shares fell nearly 13% in the immediate aftermath of the rocket explosion. The day before the launch, shares of the Canon subsidiary were trading at their highest level since April 2018. Wakayama Governor Shuhei Kishimoto told reporters:
“While it is unfortunate, we’re glad the self-destruct device operated quickly and nobody was injured.”
The launch was scheduled for 9 March, but operators were forced to postpone it after a vessel was found at sea, in an area that was to be evacuated. Kairos, which means “the right moment” in ancient Greek, was carrying a government satellite, Space One reported.
The company, founded in 2018, is backed by investors including Canon Electronics Inc, IHI Aerospace Engineering Co, property contractor Shimizu Corp. and the Development Bank of Japan. Previous launches have been delayed due to the pandemic and war in Ukraine, according to Chief Executive Officer Masakazu Toyoda.
At 18 metres (59 feet) tall, Kairos is shorter than the 24-metre Epsilon and 63-metre H3 that JAXA launched in February. However, Kairos’ size should help it fill a niche in the local market by offering competitive prices and frequent missions, Toyoda told reporters on 1 March.
The Kii Space Port is the country’s first commercial flight launch facility, offering companies an alternative to the site JAXA uses in southern Japan.
