Japan’s Space One on Sunday canceled the launch of its third Kairos small rocket, putting a dent in the company’s bid to be the first Japanese private company to place satellites into orbit with a domestically developed rocket.
The company stated that the postponement was due to unfavorable weather conditions. This is the second time the launch of the 18-meter rocket was canceled in the past week, after an earlier attempt scheduled for Wednesday was also postponed due to the weather.
Space One has faced a turbulent time getting its rockets into orbit, with two failed launch attempts in 2024. The first Kairos rocket exploded shortly after liftoff in March, and the second flight was aborted roughly three minutes after launch in December.