TOKYO: A company aiming to become Japan’s first private firm to put a satellite into orbit postponed its rocket launch on Saturday, after its first try ended in a mid-air explosion.

Tokyo-based Space One’s Kairos rocket was to make its second blast-off from the company’s launch pad in the rural western region of Wakayama at 11am, but called it off in a move announced about 20 minutes before the scheduled launch.

“During the final decision-making process for the launch, we analysed the weather conditions and determined that the wind speeds above an altitude of 10 kilometres (6.2 miles) were so strong that it was not suitable for launch,” Space One executive Kozo Abe told reporters.

Abe said the company plans to make another attempt today on Sunday at 11am. “We will do our utmost to prepare for tomorrow’s launch,” he said.

Private firms are offering cheaper and more frequent space exploration opportunities than governments, and Space One hopes to emulate Elon Musk’s SpaceX, which has contracts with NASA and the Pentagon. But first, it needs to get off the ground.

The solid-fuel Kairos, carrying a small government test satellite, lifted off for the first time in March from the Space One launch pad, dubbed Spaceport Kii.

Published in Dawn, December 15th, 2024