Taiwanese Rocket Fails Seconds After Liftoff from Japanese soil

2025-07-13 02:34:33

(MENAFN) A rocket operated by a Taiwanese company failed soon after launching from Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido on Saturday, marking the first time a foreign company attempted a launch from Japanese soil.

The vehicle took off at approximately 11:40 a.m. local time (0240 GMT) but did not achieve its target altitude of 100 kilometers (62 miles), according to a Japanese public broadcaster. Video recordings captured the rocket ascending briefly before veering off course and crashing close to the launch site.

While the rocket was expected to descend into the Pacific Ocean, its second stage instead landed within 1.2 kilometers (0.74 miles) of the launch pad. Authorities confirmed there were no injuries or damage to property.

The rocket was developed by Taiwan-based TiSPACE and its Japanese branch JTSpace, as reported by media. The launch primarily aimed to evaluate the rocket engine’s performance.

Successfully reaching the 100-kilometer mark would have opened the door for Taiwan to deploy

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