A rocket made by a Japanese company exploded seconds after its launch, marking a significant blow to Japan's aspirations in space exploration.
The Kairos rocket, made by the Tokyo-based company called Space One, began its maiden voyage on Wednesday in the Wakayama region of western Japan.
The lift-off took place at 11:01 a.m. in the mountainous Kii Peninsula in Kushimoto. But shortly after it blasted off from the launch pad, the 59-foot-tall spacecraft exploded in flames and sent debris falling into the mountainous area and sea below.
A successful launch would have made Space One the first Japanese player in the private sector to put a satellite into orbit.
The Kairos rocket exploded just seconds after it blasted off from the launch pad
Image credits: vidapress
“We are taking what happened in a positive way and remain prepared to take up the next challenge,” the company’s president, Masakazu Toyoda, told reporters.
The ill-fated Kairos rocket was carrying an experimental government-made satellite that was meant to temporarily replace intelligence satellites if they fell out of orbit.
Space One initially said that the flight had been intentionally terminated. Later, at a news conference, the company said the mid-flight termination sequence had been triggered automatically.
“The launch of the first Kairos rocket was executed, but we took a measure to abort the flight,” Space One said in a statement and added that “details are being investigated.”
An investigation panel has been put in place to identify the cause of the explosion.
The debris fell into the mountainous area and sea below
The mayor of Kushimoto, the 15,000-resident town in Wakayama where the launch occurred, said they will continue supporting the private Japanese company in its endeavors.
“I didn’t even imagine an outcome like this,” said Mayor Katsumasa Tashima.
The town of Kushimoto “will continue to support Space One, and we want to continue to offer our help so that the first rocket will have a successful launch,” he added.
Residents of the town also expressed disappointment in the outcome.
“I had high hopes for this, so I’m disappointed. I want to know what happened,” one elderly resident was quoted saying.
The mayor of the town and its residents expressed disappointment after the launch
Image credits: vidapress