The roar that had promised a new dawn for Japan's space ambitions abruptly morphed into a deafening explosion.

Moments after liftoff, MOMO, the commercial rocket developed by Interstellar Technologies, Inc.

, became a fiery ball plummeting back to Earth.

The ambitious attempt to become Japan's first privately funded entity to successfully launch a satellite into orbit ended in catastrophic failure.

The launch, which had been eagerly anticipated and broadcast live, was initially unremarkable.

MOMO, a slender, two-stage rocket, climbed powerfully from its launchpad at Taiki town, Hokkaido.

Then, just seconds after clearing the launch tower, a catastrophic malfunction occurred.

Witnesses reported a bright flash followed by the immediate disintegration of the rocket.

Debris rained down over a wide area, though initial reports suggest no injuries on the ground.

The cause of the explosion is currently unknown and under investigation.

Speculation is rampant, ranging from engine failure to a structural problem, though Interstellar Technologies, Inc.

has remained tight-lipped, promising a full investigation and report in the coming weeks.

The loss is a significant setback for the company, which had spent years developing MOMO and had invested heavily in the launch.

The failure also casts a shadow over Japan's burgeoning commercial space sector.

While Japan has a strong history in space exploration through its government-funded JAXA agency, the private sector has been striving to catch up.

MOMO's failure serves as a stark reminder of the inherent risks and challenges involved in rocketry, even for experienced teams.

Despite the setback, many within the Japanese space community expressed confidence that the private sector would persevere.

The drive to establish a vibrant, competitive commercial space industry remains strong, fueled by the desire for greater independence and the potential for economic growth in the burgeoning field of small satellite launches.

The investigation into the MOMO failure is crucial not only for Interstellar Technologies, Inc.

, but for the entire Japanese commercial space program, pointing the way towards future success through rigorous analysis and improved technology.

The dream of a privately-launched Japanese satellite remains, but for now, it lies shrouded in the smoke of a devastating failure.

Tokyo —  A commercial rocket trying to put a satellite into orbit was intentionally exploded shortly after liftoff Wednesday morning in central Japan following a problem that's still under investigation.

Space One was aiming to be Japan's first private sector success at putting a satellite into orbit.

Online video showed the Kairos rocket blasting off in a mountainous area filled with trees, then exploding five seconds later. A huge plume of smoke engulfed the area, and flames shot up in some spots. Spurts of water were shown trying to put out the blaze.  

Live footage on public broadcaster NHK showed debris scattering from the sky and later charred pieces were shown strewn about on the ground.

No injuries were reported and the fire was brought under control, according to the fire department for Kushimoto city in Wakayama prefecture.

The launch was halted five seconds after liftoff but the problem that was detected by the rocket's automated system was unclear and still under investigation, according to Space One.

It occurred during step two of the launch, with the first step being liftoff, and all the pieces of the rocket landed on Space One's property, the company said.

"We are taking what happened in a positive way and remain prepared to take up the next challenge," Space One President Masakazu Toyoda told reporters.

The rocket was supposed to have sent a government-made satellite into orbit around Earth to gather various information, including monitoring possible dangers from rocket launches from neighboring .

But one of its main purposes was for Japan to play catch-up as rocket launches here have fallen behind that of the U.S. and China. The launch has been delayed several times.

Toyoda and other officials stressed that space travel succeeds only after multiple failures. He even refused to call the aborted launch a failure, and declined to reveal the costs or when the investigation might be completed.

Tokyo-based Space One was set up in 2018, with investments from major Japanese companies, including Canon Electronics, IHI, Shimizu and major banks. It's hoping to eventually offer space services and travel.

Japan's main space exploration effort has been , the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, which has developed various rockets, and brought back asteroid samples for research.

Japan's companies are aiming to become a larger part of the growing global space business, as exemplified by ventures abroad like Elon Musk's Space X.