Japan’s Rocket Crashed Shortly After Launch

News Desk

Islamabad: A rocket designed by a Japanese company to launch a satellite into orbit crashed seconds after liftoff. 

According to a report from the foreign news agency Reuters, Japan’s Space One company aimed to become the first Japanese company to successfully deploy a satellite into orbit. Unfortunately, the rocket was destroyed mere seconds after its launch.

Space One initiated the launch from Japan’s Wakayama area at 11 a.m. today, employing an 18-meter, 23-ton Kairos rocket carrying a model of a government intelligence satellite. However, the launch ended in failure as the rocket suddenly crashed just 5 seconds after liftoff.

Footage of the incident began circulating on social media shortly afterward, showing the rocket’s destruction.

In the footage, clouds of smoke billow into the air in the mountainous area, with fragments of the rocket catching fire. Flames can also be observed soaring through the air amidst the wreckage.

In a statement following the unsuccessful launch, SpaceOne acknowledged that this marked the maiden flight of the Kairos rocket. The company emphasized its commitment to understanding the causes behind the rocket’s failure.

SpaceOne refrained from specifying the exact reasons for the first-stage engine burnout that led to the crash. Additionally, they did not provide a timeline for the next launch attempt of the Kairos rocket.

“We will not use the word ‘failure’ because each trial is another challenge for us as we gain new data and experience,” the statement highlighted, underscoring the company’s determination to view setbacks as opportunities for growth and learning.