Taiki, Hokkaido

Japanese startup Interstellar Technologies Inc. said Monday it will launch a small observation rocket, the Momo-5, on Sunday in the town of Taiki, Hokkaido, northernmost Japan.

The Taiki-based company will use one of the five days through Jan. 3 as an optional extra launch day.

The Momo-5 is expected to become the first rocket in the Momo series to be fired in winter. Interstellar aims to mass-produce and commercialize rockets and hopes to accumulate experience in launching rockets in any of the four seasons.

On May 4, Interstellar launched the Momo-3, which became the first rocket developed by a Japanese company alone to reach outer space.

In July, however, the engine of the company's Momo-4 rocket halted after launch due to a data communication failure between the rocket and the operation center. It reached a maximum altitude of about 13 kilometers, failing to reach outer space.

“We want again to attempt to commercialize (our rockets) with the Momo-5,” Interstellar Chief Executive Officer Takahiro Inagawa told a news conference in Taiki. “It’s very important to demonstrate a launch (of a rocket) during winter.”

Jiji Press