On March 13th, a private company's first attempt to launch a satellite ended in a dramatic failure. Just seconds after liftoff at 11:01 a.m., a massive explosion engulfed the Kairos rocket, marking a significant setback for the company's ambitions.
Tokyo-based Space One Co. had planned to place a satellite in orbit from Space Port Kii in Kushimoto, Wakayama Prefecture. However, a computer detected problems with the rocket and triggered an intentional explosion to prevent further damage.
Space One officials held a press conference later that day, acknowledging the need for further data analysis to pinpoint the exact cause of the malfunction. This setback came after an earlier postponement on March 9th due to boats entering restricted waters.
The company's aspirations to become a reliable space-delivery service provider using its own rocket and launch site have been temporarily halted. They must now return to the drawing board and address the technical issues that led to this unfortunate incident.
The dream of launching a satellite into orbit by a private company remains unfulfilled, leaving Space One with the daunting task of regaining the trust of potential customers and investors.