TOKYO, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- Japanese startup Space One said its second attempt to launch a rocket carrying satellites into orbit had been aborted minutes after liftoff in western Japan on Wednesday.

The 18-meter, 23-ton solid-fuel Kairos No. 2 rocket, carrying five small satellites, lifted off at around 11 a.m. local time from Space Port Kii in Kushimoto, Wakayama Prefecture, the country's first private-sector launch pad.

However, the rocket ended the flight "after judging that the achievement of its mission would be difficult," Space One said in a statement.

The Tokyo-based company is investigating the cause.

Wednesday's failure came nine months after a failed debut flight in March, when the rocket exploded shortly after liftoff following the transmission of a self-destruct order.