spacetoday.net: First launch of Japanese Kairos rocket fails seconds after liftoff

Posted: Sat, Mar 16, 2024, 11:48 AM ET (1548 GMT)
Kairos first launch (WTV)

The first launch of a privately developed Japanese rocket ended in an explosion seconds after liftoff. The Kairos rocket lifted off at 10:01 pm EDT Tuesday (0201 GMT Wednesday) from the Spaceport Kii launch site on Honshu. The rocket, though, exploded about five seconds after liftoff, with debris falling back near the launch site. Space One, the company that developed Kairos, did not disclose details about what might have caused the explosion. Kairos uses three solid-propellant lower stages and a liquid-propellant kick stage and is designed to place up to 250 kilograms into low Earth orbit. Space One, whose shareholders include Canon and IHI Aerospace, has stated its goal is to launch Kairos up to 20 times a year but has offered few details about any customers for the rocket.