Uzaya taşımayı hedefleyen Japonya’daki roket, kalkıştan hemen sonra patladı

Japonya’s Kairos Rocket Explodes Shortly After Liftoff

Space One Co. recently launched the government-owned satellite-carrying Kairos rocket from the Kii Space Port in the Kuşimoto region of Wakayama prefecture in southeastern Japan. The 18-meter-long rocket, however, tragically exploded in mid-air just 5 seconds after liftoff.

Fortunately, no injuries were reported, but following the explosion, firefighting teams were dispatched to the area to tackle the resulting fire. The company announced that they are currently investigating the malfunction that occurred during liftoff, leading to the suspension of the mission.

Wakayama Governor Shuhei Kişimoto stated that there was an issue with the automatic flight cancellation system, but specific details were not disclosed. The payload of the rocket was said to include a satellite useful for monitoring military facilities in North Korea, according to the Cabinet Satellite Intelligence Center.

Had the launch been successful, Space One would have become the first Japanese private company to place a satellite in orbit. Founded in 2018 by Canon Electronics Inc, IHI Aerospace Co, Shimizu Corp., and the Japan Development Bank, Space One aims to send 30 rockets into space annually by the 2030s.

The company’s goal is to commercialize space services by providing low-cost rocket launch services.