South Korean satellite launch company Innospace attempted to achieve its first commercial rocket launch mission from Brazil’s Alcantara Space Centre on Monday, but the launch led to a failure, a setback for both the company and Brazil’s aerospace aspirations.
Five days after its initial target timeline, the launch of Innospace’s HANBIT-Nano vehicle occurred at 10:13 p.m. local Brazil time (or 0113 GMT).
It was the first commercial orbital mission for the northeastern Brazilian facility, which has long been viewed as a potential launch site because of its relative closeness to the equator.
Despite the significance of the event, the mission did not go as planned after the initial stages of flight.
Anomaly detected minutes after liftoff
Just two minutes after liftoff, fans following the official livestream of the launch received a message suggesting that an “anomaly” had occurred during the flight.
The webcast was suddenly halted, leaving no more real-time details on the occurrence.
According to a statement from Brazil’s air force, the rocket initially took the expected vertical trajectory; however, a malfunction developed shortly after takeoff, causing the vehicle to crash onto the ground.
Officials and firefighters have been summoned to investigate both the wreckage and the crash site, according to the Air Force.
The statement did not mention any injuries or extra implications, and authorities focused on post-crash investigations of the site and hardware involved.
Limited information from Innospace
Innospace has not provided any additional information regarding the cause of the failure.
Following the incident, the firm did not immediately react to a request for comment, leaving unanswered questions regarding the technical issues observed during the flight.
The absence of details comes despite previous announcements about pre-launch delays and technical tests, which had already pushed the mission past its intended timeline.
Market reaction and share decline
Investors flipped negative following the unsuccessful launch.
On the announcement of the crash, shares of Innospace listed in South Korea were down around 24% in midday trading. It was the firm’s biggest intraday drop since gaining in August.
This prompted doubts about the technical maturity of the firm and the implications for its plans to bring its rockets to market, with the mission designed to show operational capability rather than pure experimental performance, as reflected by the market reaction.
Delays before launch
Before Monday’s attempt, the launch had already been delayed many times.
The mission, which had been slated for the previous Wednesday, was postponed after final checks revealed an anomaly in a cooling unit component of the first-stage oxidiser feed system.
Another delay occurred on Friday, when poor weather prompted a several-hour postponement.
In an earlier statement, Innospace stated that it had rebuilt the defective component on the launch pad, allowing the mission, known as Spaceward, to launch between December 16 and 22.
Payload and institutional support
The HANBIT-Nano rocket was transporting eight registered goods, including five tiny satellites, for unnamed customers.
The Brazilian air force and the country’s space agency provided operational support for the launch, and they coordinated efforts with other critical agencies.
Brazil’s participation emphasised continued efforts to promote Alcantara as a viable commercial launch site for foreign partners.
Previous test flights at Alcantara
Innospace isn’t new to the Alcantara Space Centre. In March 2023, the business debuted its test vehicle, the HANBIT-TLV, from the same location.
That mission’s goal was to test the performance of its 150-kilonewton hybrid rocket engine.
Monday’s launch, however, was the company’s first commercial effort from the location, emphasising the significance of the failure for both Innospace and Brazil’s overall aerospace ambitions.
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