Japan's first private space mission fails

Japan's first private space mission fails

Japan's first private space mission has failed. On Wednesday, the Kairos rocket of private firm Space One exploded just 5 seconds after take off. Its clear video footage has also surfaced. Space One had claimed last week that all the testing of this mission has been completed and its team is ready for the final round.

Kairos was a 59-foot tall rocket. According to Japan time, it took off at 11:01 am on Wednesday morning. After this it exploded.

smoke lasted for several hours

  • A launch pad was built in the Kaa region for the launch of Kairos. This is an area adjacent to the sea in western Japan. The aim of Space One company was to increase research work through this rocket. It exploded soon after launching and debris fell into a nearby bay. After the blast, smoke was visible in the area for several hours.
  • The company claimed that its rocket system was the most advanced. Some instruments of Japan's government space agency were also installed in it. It was being claimed that it would also be used to gather intelligence.
  • Now the company is saying that after all the testing was successful, why was the launch a flop? Its investigation has been started.

Clues will be collected from the debris

  • Space One has said that the rocket debris will be removed from the sea and after this the cause of the blast will be ascertained. According to initial information, the rocket exploded due to a technical fault in flight termination. The government investigation agency will also analyze the debris. However, no information has been given by the government about this failed mission yet.
  • This Kairos rocket mission was completely automated. A flight termination system was specially installed in it. Through this system, if any fault occurs in the rocket at the last moment, it can be stopped. 12 engineers were controlling this mission.
  • No employee was injured in the accident. Space One company was formed in 2018. Actually, many private sector space companies were involved in this. Its funding is done by the Development Bank of Japan.

Expenses not disclosed

  • Space One has never disclosed what its budget is and especially how much was spent on the launch of Kairos. It is considered to compete with American company Rocket Lab.
  • Rocket Lab has launched 40 small rockets so far. It built its launch pad in New Zealand in 2017. Japan's space mission had also failed in July last year. However, its engine caught fire just before launching. On January 13, Japan became the fifth country in the world to perform Moon landing.
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