Japan startup's third rocket launch attempt fails

A Japanese startup aiming to become the country's first private company to put a satellite into orbit said Thursday it aborted the launch of its space rocket just after takeoff.

"We determined that mission success was difficult and implemented flight termination measures," Tokyo-based Space One posted on X.

Live footage broadcast online showed the Kairos rocket blasting off from the firm's launch site in the coastal Wakayama region of western Japan at 11:10 am (0210 GMT).

But shortly afterwards, the slim, white 18-metre (60-foot) rocket appeared to fall downwards.

Space One said in the X post that details of what happened "were under investigation".

The rocket was carrying several satellites including one for a high school in Tokyo, according to the firm.

Thursday's launch attempt was the third by the company.

Its first ended in spectacular failure in March 2024 when the solid-fuel rocket exploded seconds after lift-off.

A second try started off better only for the rocket to suddenly spiral downwards after engineers terminated the operation because of a technical problem.

Companies such as Space One want to offer cheaper and more frequent space exploration opportunities than governments.

The startup is hoping to establish a satellite-launching service to tap into expanding global demand -- emulating Elon Musk's SpaceX, which has contracts with NASA and the Pentagon.

Space One was founded in 2018 by businesses including Canon Electronics, IHI Aerospace, construction firm Shimizu and the government-run Development Bank of Japan.