The Japanese Kairos rocket, from the Space One firm,
exploded this Wednesday seconds after its launch
, when its self-destruct mechanism was activated due to a technical problem.
The unit aspired to be the first operated by a private Japanese company to put a satellite into orbit,
The failed launch took place at 11:01 GMT from a platform in Kushimoto (Wakayama, western Japan).
Space One
had scheduled it for this day, after postponing it last Saturday when a ship was detected in the vicinity of the place.
The rocket took off from the pad at the scheduled time, but exploded in mid-air shortly afterward, scattering flaming fuel and fragments around the pad, as could be seen on the live broadcast of the launch broadcast by state broadcaster NHK.
"We have carried out the launch, however, the rocket's flight has been suspended. The details are currently being investigated," Space One said in a brief statement after the incident.
The Japanese Space One Kairos rocket explodes on its maiden flight.
The 18-meter solid-fuel rocket exploded shortly after its maiden launch on Wednesday, as the company attempted to become the first Japanese company to put a satellite into orbit.
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Company officials later held a press conference in which they explained that the
rocket's automatic self-destruct mechanism
was activated about five seconds after takeoff, and within the "safety margin" of the explosion.
This safety protocol caused
the explosion to occur between 50 and 100 meters high
to limit the expansion of the vehicle's fuel through the forested area surrounding the launch platform and the resulting risks.
Local fire departments went to the area to put out the flames caused by the falling fuel, and there is no evidence that there was any material damage or casualties.
Dozens of people had gathered at a launch viewing area about 2 kilometers from the Kii Spaceport.
Dozens of people had gathered at a launch viewing area about 2 kilometers from the Kii Spaceport.
Photo Kyodo via REUTERS
The technical manager of Space One, Mamoru Endo, said that the company is still collecting data and analyzing it to determine the exact reason that triggered the rocket's self-destruction, although he pointed to a possible anomaly in the speed and direction of the vehicle, a failure computer or a problem in the sensors.
Failed attempt to be the first Japanese firm to put a satellite into orbit
The objective of the launch was to put an experimental government intelligence satellite into orbit, after flying the rocket for about 50 minutes and reaching a height of 500 kilometers.
Space One intended to become the first private company to launch a satellite into orbit in Japan, in a country where all its previous successful launches of this type had been carried out by the Japanese Aerospace Agency (JAXA), in collaboration with companies in some cases.
Local firefighters had to go to the area to put out the flames caused by the falling fuel.
Photo EFE/EPA/Space Port Kii Area Regional Council
The president of the company, Masakazu Toyoda, stated that the company "is not going to give up its objective" and will try new launches, although he stressed that first it is necessary to "clarify the causes" of the failure and "explain them to its customers."
The project is part of the efforts of the Japanese aerospace industry to build smaller and cheaper shuttles, given the growing demand from the Government and other actors to deploy satellites.
What Space One's Kairos rocket was like
The Kairos rocket, 18 meters - a relatively small size for these launch vehicles -, 23 tons and solid fuel, was designed to carry a load of 250 kilos to low Earth orbit.
Founded in Tokyo in 2018, Space One has the participation of Japanese companies such as the imaging device firm Canon Electronics and the construction company Shimuzu and several of the main national financial groups.
The company, which was already forced to delay its initial plans for this first launch in 2022 due to the pandemic and logistical problems, has the goal of sending about 30 rockets into space per year for the next decade.
With information from EFE.
IS