TAG: GS 3: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
THE CONTEXT: The inaugural launch of the Kairos solid-fuel rocket by Japanese start-up Space One ended in disaster as the rocket exploded just seconds after liftoff.
EXPLANATION:
- This setback represents a significant blow to Japan’s aspirations of establishing itself in the commercial space transportation market and highlights the challenges faced by private companies venturing into space exploration.
Failed Launch and Immediate Aftermath
- The Kairos rocket, launched from Space Port Kii in Wakayama Prefecture, suffered a catastrophic failure shortly after takeoff, resulting in an explosion captured by livestreams of the event.
- The rocket’s destruction left a plume of smoke and ignited a fire in a nearby forest, which firefighters subsequently extinguished.
- Space One indicated that the rocket likely self-destructed after detecting an abnormality, prompting further investigation into the cause of the malfunction by company officials.
Mission Payload and Implications
- The satellite onboard the Kairos rocket belonged to the Cabinet Satellite Intelligence Center, a branch of Japan’s spy agencies, and was intended as an alternative to existing government satellites in the event of downtime.
- While launch failures are not uncommon in the aerospace industry, the unsuccessful mission represents a setback for Japan’s ambitions of leveraging private enterprises for space exploration and satellite deployment.
Commercial Space Market Dynamics
- The commercial space transportation market, valued at approximately $6 billion in 2023, holds significant potential for growth in the coming years.
- Space One, founded in 2018 with backing from Japanese investors, including Canon Electronics, aimed to capitalize on this lucrative market by providing commercial space transportation services utilizing small rockets.
Market Reaction and Financial Impact
- The stock price of Canon Electronics experienced a sharp decline following news of the rocket explosion, signaling investor concerns over the company’s involvement in the failed launch.
- While the stock partially recovered from its losses, it remained down by 7.5 percent at the close of trading.
- The incident underscores the financial risks associated with investments in the burgeoning space industry, where success often hinges on the outcome of high-stakes missions.
Global Landscape of Private Space Ventures
- Space One’s misfortune reflects broader trends in the global space industry, characterized by the emergence of numerous start-ups competing in the commercial space race.
- These companies aim to capitalize on advances in technology and a shift towards private enterprise-driven space exploration, which offers opportunities for commercialization and innovation.
Japan’s Space Program and Future Prospects
- Despite setbacks, Japan maintains a robust space program with a history of successful missions, including recent achievements such as lunar exploration.
- The country’s space agency continues to pursue the development of new satellite-launching rockets, as demonstrated by the successful launch of the replacement H3 rocket last month.
- However, the failure of Space One’s inaugural flight underscores the challenges inherent in transitioning from government-led to private-sector-driven space initiatives.
Some Japanese space programme:
- Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM):
- SLIM was launched by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) in September 2023 aboard the H-IIA rocket from the Tanegashima spaceport.
- It aims to demonstrate precision landing within 100 metres through new technologies.
- It also carried two mini robotic rovers developed by Sony and Tomy for reconnaissance.
- The mission aims to revitalise Japan’s space program which suffered setbacks like the failure of the flagship H3 rocket in March 2023.
- Lunar Polar Exploration Mission (LUPEX)
- It is a collaborative venture between Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
- The mission is scheduled to launch in 2025.
- LUPEX will use a rover and lander to study the possibility of establishing a base on the Moon, the availability of water ice, and surface exploration technologies.
- JAXA and ISRO are developing the rover and lander, respectively.
- The rover will carry not only the instruments of ISRO and JAXA but also those of the US space agency NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA).
SOURCE: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/13/world/asia/japan-rocket-space-one-kairos.html
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