A Private Company's First Satellite Launch Ends in a Fiery Explosion
The first attempt by a private company to launch a satellite into orbit ended in a dramatic explosion just seconds after liftoff. The incident occurred on March 13th at 11:01 a.m. at Space Port Kii in Kushimoto, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan.
Space One Co., the Tokyo-based company behind the launch, had planned to place a satellite in orbit using their first Kairos rocket. However, a computer detected problems with the rocket shortly after liftoff and triggered an intentional explosion.
Space One officials held a press conference later that day, explaining the situation and emphasizing the need for further data analysis to pinpoint the exact cause of the malfunction. This launch was a reschedule after an earlier attempt on March 9th was postponed due to boats entering restricted waters.
The failed launch marks a significant setback for Space One's ambitions to enter the commercial space launch market with their own rocket and launch site. The company had aimed to have the Kairos rocket reach an altitude of 500 kilometers and release a satellite for the Cabinet Secretariat approximately 51 minutes after liftoff.
While this setback is undoubtedly a disappointment, Space One must now return to the drawing board and analyze the data to determine the cause of the failure. Only then can they work towards providing a reliable space-delivery service to their global clientele.