A rocket touted as Japan’s first from the private sector to go into orbit exploded shortly after takeoff

A rocket touted as Japan’s first from the private sector to go into orbit exploded shortly after takeoff Wednesday, livestreamed video showed.

Online video showed the rocket called Kairos blasting off from Wakayama Prefecture, in central Japan, a mountainous area filled with trees, but exploding midair within seconds.

A huge plume of smoke engulfed the area, and flames shot up in some spots. The video then showed spurts of water shot toward that spot in an effort to put out the blaze.

Tokyo-based startup Space One, behind the rocket launch, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

  • @Hugin
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    79 months ago

    If it had succeeded, Space One would have been the first private company to put a rocket into orbit.>

    Love or hate them space X was already the first private company to put a rocket in orbit.

    • @BilboBargains
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      79 months ago

      Space x was handed NASA research, knowledge base and state handouts. Must be nice having those type of friends.

      • @Hugin
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        19 months ago

        NASA let’s anybody have that. the only classified stuff NASA does is some payloads.

    • @Kbobabob
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      39 months ago

      They probably meant Japanese private company. But there’s so many lazy journalist’s.