"Japanese Rocket Explodes Moments After Liftoff"

The first rocket launched by Japanese start-up Space One exploded seconds after takeoff, denting its ambition to become the country’s first private company to put a satellite into orbit. The 60-foot-long Kairos solid-fuel rocket burst into flames just after takeoff, leaving behind a large plume of smoke and setting off a fire in a nearby forest. The satellite it was carrying belongs to Japan’s spy agency and was intended as an alternative if the government’s existing satellites were down. The failure represents a blow to Japan’s efforts to enter the commercial space transportation market, as Space One aims to provide a commercial space transportation service using small rockets to launch satellites into space.