Japan's Space One Faces Setback with Kairos Rocket Termination

Space One, Japan's aspiring commercial space company, faced another setback as its Kairos rocket flight was terminated. The rocket lost stability shortly after launching, marking the company's second failed attempt within nine months to deliver satellites into space. An investigation and press conference are forthcoming.

In a disappointing turn of events, Japan's Space One terminated the flight of its Kairos rocket shortly after takeoff on Wednesday. This marked the company's second failure in nine months to achieve a successful satellite delivery.

Live footage from Wakayama prefecture displayed the 18-metre rocket launching at 11:00 a.m. local time but struggling with stability as it ascended. The mission, aimed to carry five small satellites, including a Taiwanese component, ended prematurely due to an unsustainable trajectory.

Space One is now investigating the cause of the mission failure and plans to hold a press conference at 2:00 p.m. local time. Founded in 2018, the Tokyo-based company aims to launch 20 small rockets annually by 2029, despite a rocky start with both attempts ending unsuccessfully.

(With inputs from agencies.)