Japan¡¯s Space One on Sunday canceled the launch of its third Kairos small rocket, putting a dent in the company¡¯s bid to be the first Japanese private company to place satellites into orbit with a domestically developed rocket.

The company stated that the postponement was due to unfavorable weather conditions. This is the second time the launch of the 18-meter rocket was canceled in the past week, after an earlier attempt scheduled for Wednesday was also postponed due to the weather.

Space One has faced a turbulent time getting its rockets into orbit, with two failed launch attempts in 2024. The first Kairos rocket exploded shortly after liftoff in March, and the second flight was aborted roughly three minutes after launch in December.

Space One is targeting the growing small-satellite market with what it calls Space Express Services, aiming to deliver payloads at a lower cost and with higher frequency. The Kairos rocket is structurally simpler than Japan¡¯s larger launch vehicles and uses commercially available components to curb costs. The unit was slated to carry five satellites.

It¡¯s a sensitive time for Japan¡¯s space transportation sector. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)¡¯s flagship H3 rocket failed to launch in December, and the cause remains under investigation. JAXA¡¯s smaller Epsilon rocket was put on the back burner in 2022 following a failed launch of the sixth rocket, while development of its successor, the Epsilon S, has also faced difficulties.

As a result, Japan currently lacks a readily available domestic launch-vehicle capable of reliably sending satellites into orbit, reducing confidence in its space transportation capabilities.

Many see expanding the country¡¯s space industry as critical to Japan¡¯s long-term economic growth, but without dependable launch services, it may struggle to secure stable satellite orders in an increasingly competitive global market.