A rocket manufactured by a Japanese company exploded just seconds after launch on Wednesday, marking a spectacular failure for the start-up’s attempt to deploy a satellite into orbit.
Tokyo-based Space One’s 18-meter (60-foot) Kairos rocket blasted off in the coastal Wakayama region of western Japan, carrying a small government test satellite.
But around five seconds later, the solid-fuel rocket erupted in fire, sending white smoke billowing around the remote mountainous area as orange flames raged on the ground, live footage showed.
Space One said it had taken the decision to “abort the flight” and details were being investigated.
“We want to accept this outcome in a forward-looking manner and embark on our next challenge,” company president Masakazu Toyoda told reporters, asserting that Space One does not use the term “failure”.
The firm wishes to “contribute to the expansion of space-related services” through successful satellite launches by its rockets in the future, he added.
Burning debris fell onto the surrounding slopes as sprinklers began spraying water, in dramatic scenes watched by hundreds of spectators gathered at public viewing areas including a nearby waterfront.
Private companies like Space One are playing an increasingly important role in space exploration worldwide.
