Space One’s satellite will be carried into space on a Kairos solid fuel rocket launched from Space Port Kii on Friday, March 8. Built by Japanese general contractor Shimizu Corporation, Space Port Kii is located near the southern tip of the Kii Peninsula in Wakayama prefecture south of Nagoya and Osaka. The launch, which was originally scheduled to take place in March 2022, has been postponed twice.
The type of satellite and its mission have not been disclosed.
The Kairos rocket is based on technology developed by IHI Aerospace and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). It is a relatively small rocket at 18 meters long and 1.4 meters in diameter, but is capable of putting satellites weighing up to 100 kilograms into low Earth orbit at an altitude of 500 kilometers.
According to a press release, “SPACE ONE is a launch service that uses small rockets. We will offer the world’s shortest lead time from contractual agreement to launch as well as the world’s most frequent launching schedule.”