- Reaction score
- 1,697
A Japanese solid-fueled rocket exploded mere seconds into its inaugural launch in a major setback for the country’s quest to space as private firm Space One tried to become the country’s first company to put a satellite in orbit.
Kairos, the 59-foot tall spacecraft, lifted off at 11:01 a.m. in the mountainous Kii Peninsula in western Japan on Wednesday
Five seconds after Kairos left its launch pad, the middle of the rocket let out a large explosion, and the unoccupied craft burst into a ball of fire and smoke.
Kairos, or the Kii-based Advanced & Instant Rocket System, was carrying an experimental government satellite that would have temporarily replaced intelligence satellites if they fell out of orbit.
Space One said it “terminated the flight” after launch and was investigating the flight data.
nypost.com
Kairos, the 59-foot tall spacecraft, lifted off at 11:01 a.m. in the mountainous Kii Peninsula in western Japan on Wednesday
Five seconds after Kairos left its launch pad, the middle of the rocket let out a large explosion, and the unoccupied craft burst into a ball of fire and smoke.
Kairos, or the Kii-based Advanced & Instant Rocket System, was carrying an experimental government satellite that would have temporarily replaced intelligence satellites if they fell out of orbit.
Space One said it “terminated the flight” after launch and was investigating the flight data.
Japan’s Space One Kairos rocket explodes just seconds into inaugural flight
There was no immediate indication of what caused the explosion.
nypost.com
