Private Japanese rocket explodes seconds after liftoff

March 13 (UPI) -- A rocket developed by Japan's startup company Space One exploded seconds after liftoff on Wednesday, bringing a dramatic end to what was to be the Kairos rocket's maiden launch.

Topped with a satellite, the 60-foot-long, solid-fuel rocket by Tokyo-based Space One launched at 11:01 a.m. local time from Space Port Kii in Kushimoto, Wakayama Prefecture, off Japan's southeastern coast.

Video of the launch shows that only seconds into its flight, the rocket exploded causing flaming debris to fall and ignite the lush mountainous area. Grey smoke billowed into the air.

Wakayama Prefecture said in a statement that the flight "was interrupted."

Wakayama Gov. Shuhei Kishimoto later said the explosion occurred five seconds after liftoff as a result of an "automatic flight interruption measure" that followed an issue having been detected.

He added that the fire has since been extinguished and no casualties were reported.

"We hope that Space One will investigate the cause and look forward to the next challenge. Launching satellites by private companies domestically is a challenging but rewarding project," he said.

UPI has asked Space One for comment.

The rocket's payload was a satellite owned by the Cabinet Satellite Information Center of Japan's intelligence agency, according to a statement. If the launch was successful, Space One would have become the first private company in Japan to put a satellite into space.

Space One was founded in 2018 to develop space launch systems for small satellites.

With its own launch site and dedicated three-stage, 23-metric-ton Kairos rocket, Space One aims to offer low cost access to space, according to its website.