The first trial with the private Kairos rocket was aimed at testing the viability of a domestically developed commercial launch business.
The rocket, produced by a Japanese company, exploded seconds after it was launched to place the satellite into orbit.
Tokyo-based Space One's 18-meter Kairos rocket launched from the company's launch pad in western Japan's Wakayama prefecture on Wednesday, carrying a small public test satellite.
Live footage showed the solid-fuel rocket bursting into flames seconds later and smoke rising towards the distant mountainous region. "The launch of the first Kairos rocket took place, but we took action to cancel the flight," Space One said in a statement, adding that "the details are being investigated."
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