Tokyo startup Space One has failed in its bid to become the first private company in Japan to launch a satellite into orbit after its Kairos rocket burst into flames seconds after launch, Japanese media reported.

The 18-meter, 23-ton Kairos rocket carrying a government satellite attempted to lift off from Kushimoto, Wakayama Prefecture, shortly after 11 a.m.

The missile exploded in mid-air shortly after launch, and debris fell into nearby mountainous terrain and into the sea. Images broadcast by news stations showed fragments of the rocket lying on the ground as firefighters tried to extinguish the flames.

The launch was delayed on Saturday, 10 minutes before launch, after there had been 4 other delays earlier for various reasons.

Space One was launched in July 2018 and aimed to shift satellite launch services from the public to the private sector, promising 20 launches by 2030.

The number of satellite launches worldwide has increased tenfold over the past decade, reaching a record 2,368 in 2022, according to the Cabinet Office.

Of all launches, more than 1,630 launches belong to SpaceX.