Space One’s Kairos Rocket Launch Fails Again in Latest Setback for Japan’s Space Industry

Space One, a Japanese space startup, experienced another major setback on Wednesday as its Kairos small rocket failed just 10 minutes after launch.

This marks the second failed attempt in less than a year for the company, highlighting ongoing difficulties in Japan’s quest to develop a competitive domestic space industry.

The 18-meter (59-foot) solid propellant rocket launched from Spaceport Kii in western Japan at 11:00 AM but encountered a loss of trajectory stability shortly after takeoff.

Due to this instability, the mission was aborted, with Space One confirming that continuing the flight would have been “difficult.”

The rocket was carrying five small satellites, including one from the Taiwan Space Agency, all intended to reach a sun-synchronous orbit about 500 kilometers above Earth’s surface.

Space One has launched an investigation into the incident and is planning a press conference at 2:30 PM local time to provide more details.

This failure adds to the growing list of challenges facing Japan’s space sector.

Despite government efforts to expand the country’s space capabilities and make it a hub for space transportation in Asia, these setbacks are raising concerns about the nation’s ability to compete in the $52 billion global space market.

Japan aims to increase its rocket launches to 30 per year by the early 2030s.

Founded in 2018, Space One has garnered support from major players like Canon Electronics, IHI’s aerospace unit, Shimizu Construction, and a bank.

The company’s goal is to launch 20 small rockets annually by 2029 to meet the growing demand for satellite launches.

However, its previous Kairos launch in March also ended in failure when the rocket exploded just five seconds after liftoff due to inappropriate flight settings that triggered its self-destruct system.

Japan’s rocket industry as a whole has faced several recent setbacks.

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) delayed the debut of its new solid-fuel rocket, Epsilon S, after an engine test failure last month.

The larger H3 rocket also suffered a failure at its inaugural launch in 2023, though it has since completed three successful missions this year, securing contracts from clients like the French satellite operator Eutelsat.

In a related development, the startup Interstellar Technologies, in 2019, became the first Japanese company to send a rocket into space without a satellite payload. However, its Zero orbital launcher is still under development.

As Japan’s space industry continues to face hurdles, the country’s ambitious space aspirations remain challenged by these repeated failures.