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The KAIROS rocket (カイロスロケット), or Kii-based Advanced & Instant Rocket System,[1] is a Japanese solid-fuel rocket designed to launch small satellites of mass up to 250 kg to low Earth orbit and up to 150 kg to sun-synchronous orbit by the private spaceflight company Space One.[2] It consists of 3 solid fuel powered stages and a liquid propellant upper stage.
| Function | Launch vehicle |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Space One |
| Country of origin | Japan |
| Size | |
| Height | 18 m |
| Diameter | 1.35 m |
| Mass | 23 t |
| Stages | 4 |
| Capacity | |
| Payload to 500 km LEO, 33° inclination | |
| Mass | 250 kg (550 lb) |
| Payload to 500 km SSO | |
| Mass | 150 kg (330 lb) |
| Associated rockets | |
| Comparable | Minotaur I Pegasus Electron Ceres-1 |
| Launch history | |
| Status | In development |
| Launch sites | Spaceport Kii |
| Total launches | 1 |
| Failure(s) | 1 |
| First flight | 13 March 2024 |
Namesake
editThe namesake of the KAIROS rocket is the Greek word Kairos, which means the subjective 'right time' as contrasted with Chronos which is the objective clock time. Kairos is also an alternate spelling of the name of Caerus, the Greek deity of luck and opportunity.[3]
Manufacture
editIHI Aerospace manufactures the KAIROS rocket at Tomioka Plant in the city of Tomioka, Gunma Prefecture. [4][5]
Launches
editLaunch site
editLaunches are planned from Spaceport Kii in Kushimoto, Wakayama, Japan, a dedicated launch site built by Shimizu Corporation.[6][7] This spaceport is accessible from Tokyo International Airport (Haneda Airport) via Nanki–Shirahama Airport in approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes, and from Kansai International Airport in approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes.[7]
First launch
editThe first launch was planned on 9 March 2024[8] but was postponed because a ship was spotted in the "maritime warning area" set up in waters near the launch pad.[9][10][11] The launch eventually took place on 13 March 2024, but the vehicle exploded five seconds after liftoff.[12] The remains of the rocket fell close to the launch pad, but no substantial damage was found.[13] Space One announced that the autonomous flight termination system could have activated and ended the mission. The launch failure is still under investigation.[14]
List of launches
edit| S.no | Flight
No. |
Date (UTC) | Payload(s) | Outcome | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 13 March 2024
02:01:12 |
 Rapid Launch Small Satellite |
Failure | Vehicle destroyed by automatic Flight Termination System at T+5 seconds.[14] |
| 2 | 2 | 14 December
02:00–02:20 |
TBA
|
Planned | Planned to carry four CubeSats and one microsatellites |
See also
edit
- Interstellar Technologies, another private orbital launch services provider developing orbital launch vehicles in Japan
- Comparison of orbital launchers families
- Comparison of orbital launch systems
References
edit- ^ "スペースワンの「カイロスロケット初号機」、3/9にスペースポート紀伊より打上げ". SPACE Media (in Japanese). 2024-01-29. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
- ^ "Space One - Launch Vehicle". Space One. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
- ^ Thompson, Gary (2012). "Electronic Kairos". Cybercultures. At the Interface / Probing the Boundaries. Vol. 83. pp. 1–13. doi:10.1163/9789401208536_002. ISBN 9789401208536.
- ^ "IHI AEROSPACE Co., Ltd. Company Profile". IHI AEROSPACE Co., Ltd. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
- ^ 日経ビジネス電子版 (21 November 2019). "日本初の民間ロケット発射場、なぜ本州最南端に". 日経ビジネス電子版 (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-03-09.
- ^ "【スペースポート紀伊】日本初！民間企業が建設 ロケット打ち上げ射場 起工式を開催 スペースワン". 建設通信新聞Digital. 2019-11-19. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
- ^ a b "Space One - Spaceport Kii". Space One. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
- ^ "Announcement of the KAIROS Rocket's First Launch Schedule" (PDF). Space One. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
- ^ NEWS, KYODO. "Rocket launch by private Japanese firm Space One postponed". Kyodo News+. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
- ^ "スペースワンの小型ロケット、13日に打ち上げ再設定". 日本経済新聞 (in Japanese). 2024-03-11. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
- ^ "Japan private firm reschedules rocket launch for Wednesday | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News". NHK WORLD. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
- ^ "Moment Japan's Space One rocket explodes". YouTube. 12 March 2024.
- ^ Foust, Jeff (2024-03-13). "First Kairos rocket explodes seconds after liftoff". SpaceNews. Retrieved 2024-03-14.
- ^ a b "スペースワンの小型ロケット「カイロス」爆発、打ち上げ直後に". 日本経済新聞 (in Japanese). 2024-03-13. Retrieved 2024-03-13.
External links
edit
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