Space One's rocket explosion: a setback or a stepping stone?
The 18-metre solid-fuel Kairos rocket met its unfortunate end five seconds after liftoff from a launch site on the mountainous Kii Peninsula in western Japan. "The rocket concluded its flight upon determining that achieving its mission objectives would be challenging," explained Space One CEO Masakazu Toyoda.
The firm elaborated that the rocket's launch process is automated, necessitating minimal ground personnel. It is programmed to self-destruct if it identifies any anomalies in its flight trajectory, speed, or control systems that could potentially endanger individuals on the ground.
"failure is not a term we use"
The specific cause behind the rocket's premature demise has not been disclosed. Furthermore, the company has yet to announce a date for its next Kairos launch attempt.
"Failure is not a term we use because each effort yields valuable data and insights for future endeavours," Toyoda remarked during a press conference.
Shuhei Kishimoto, the governor of Wakayama Prefecture, reassured journalists that the incident resulted in no casualties and that any fires sparked by the plummeting debris were quickly contained.
The Kairos was intended to deploy an experimental government satellite into orbit, poised to serve as a temporary substitute for reconnaissance satellites in case of their malfunction.
Source: reuters.com
