Watch: Japan’s Space One Rocket Erupts In Fireball

Only seconds after launch, Japan’s inaugural flight of a privately developed rocket was terminated by its onboard computers, which initiated a self-destruct sequence upon detecting errors in the flight path. 

Kairos, a small, solid-fuel rocket made by Japan’s Space One, exploded about five seconds into flight after the first-stage engine ignited, according to Reuters.  

There were no reports of injuries, and the video of the explosion is absolutely stunning. 

JUST IN: Space One rocket in Japan explodes after takeoff during its “inaugural launch.”

The Kairos rocket was attempting to make Space One the first Japanese company to put a satellite in orbit. (Reuters)

The 59 ft, four-stage solid-fuel rocket was launched from the Kii… pic.twitter.com/BJAAWXGsCy

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) March 13, 2024

Space News noted, “Kairos was developed to serve the small satellite market, with a payload capacity of 150 kilograms to sun-synchronous orbits and 250 kilograms to an orbit inclined at 33 degrees. This launch was carrying an experimental satellite to test responsive space capabilities for the Japanese military.”

“The rocket terminated the flight after judging that the achievement of its mission would be difficult,” company president Masakazu Toyoda said in a news conference. 

Toyoda continued, “We don’t use the world’s ‘failure’ because each trial brings us new data and experience for another challenge.” 

It was not immediately clear what caused the errors in the flight path that triggered the 18-meter rocket’s flight termination system. This is a major setback for Tokyo and the private industry, which plans to ramp up the island nation’s space industry and capture soaring demand for satellite launches. 

All eyes are now on SpaceX’s third Starship launch, which could be as soon as Thursday.