JAPANESE ROCKET “KAIROS” EXPLODES

Posted on March 17, 2024

Japan’s first rocket launch from a private rocket launch site in the town of Kushimoto, Wakayama Prefecture, ended in failure when the rocket exploded shortly afterward. In a spectator gathering area far from the launch site, a rumbling sound like a rumble of the earth could be heard, and spectators screamed.

Shortly after 11:00 a.m. on the 13th, an 18-meter-long small rocket “Kairos” was launched from Spaceport Kii, a private rocket launch site in Kushimoto Town, but it exploded immediately after liftoff.

This is the first launch from a private launch site in Japan, and if the onboard small government satellite is successfully injected into orbit, it will also be the first private launch in Japan.

Kairos was originally scheduled to be launched on March 9, but the launch was postponed due to the fact that the ship remained in the sea area under a safety alert.

After the explosion, rocket fragments and other debris fell, and the area around the launch site was temporarily engulfed in flames.

Local firefighters are working to extinguish the fire, but no injuries have been reported.