The KAIROS No 2 rocket rises, leaving white smoke, after launching from Spaceport Kii in Kushimoto, Wakayama, December 18 (©Kyodo)
SPACE ONE (Minato, Tokyo) announced on December 18 that it halted the flight of its KAIROS No 2 small solid-fuel rocket shortly after launch. The startup company launched the rocket from Spaceport Kii in Kushimoto, Wakayama Prefecture, at 11:00 AM on the same day.
The exact details are unclear. However, it is possible that an anomaly occurred with the rocket, prompting the company to detonate it mid-air for safety reasons. SPACE ONE is currently investigating the cause. This follows a similar incident in March 2024, when the first rocket exploded approximately five seconds after launch. It marks the second consecutive failure.
Repeated Setbacks
KAIROS No 2 is a three-stage rocket, approximately 18 meters long and weighing around 23 tons. It was launched on schedule and reached an altitude beyond the sight of the naked eye. After two minutes and 28 seconds, the first stage separated, and 27 seconds later, the satellite cover was detached. Following this, SPACE ONE aborted the flight.
SPACE ONE held a press conference in Wakayama Prefecture on the afternoon of December 18 to provide further details. At the press conference, President Masakazu Toyoda announced that "a newly established task force is investigating the situation." Toyoda also apologized to SPACE ONE's clients, who entrusted five satellites to them that were on board the rocket.
On March 13, approximately five seconds after launch, the company detonated KAIROS No 1's first unit due to a system anomaly. An improperly set range for the ascent speed required for standard flight caused the issue. As a result, the actual ascent speed fell below the range immediately after launch.
Adjustments and Challenges
Due to the previous incident, SPACE ONE adjusted the settings for the second rocket to the appropriate range. In a press conference ahead of the launch, Toyoda spoke about the improvements the company had made. "We were able to make significant improvements to the entire system through the experience with the first rocket," he stated. "Our entire focus is on ensuring the success of KAIROS No 2."
KAIROS No 2 was initially scheduled for launch on December 14. However, it was delayed twice due to strong winds at the launch site. If the launch had proceeded smoothly, the small satellites would have been successfully deployed into orbit. This would have marked Japan's first successful satellite launch by a private company.
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(Read the article in Japanese).
Author: The Sankei Shimbun
