Today, South Korea’s INNOSPACE launched the Hanbit-Nano rocket from Alcรขntara, Brazilโmarking both Brazil’s first orbital launch attempt and first commercial space mission. After about 30 seconds of flight, an anomaly was observed in the launch vehicle, already out of the initial launch phase, resulting in mission loss.
The mission name ‘SPACEWARD’ conveys the spirit of “Let’s Space Forward,” symbolizing Innospace’s first step toward space. But historic firsts are rarely perfect.
๐ ๐๐๐ฐ ๐๐ก๐๐ฉ๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ก ๐๐จ๐ซ๐๐๐ง ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐๐ซ๐๐ข๐๐ฅ ๐๐ฉ๐๐๐
Founded in 2017, Innospace has become one of South Korea’s most promising space startups. The company made history on October 19, 2025, as the first to obtain a commercial launch license from KASA (the Korean Space Agency). Today’s orbital attempt comes just two years after their initial suborbital test flight in March 2023.
The Hanbit-Nanoโ”Great Light” in Koreanโis a small orbital rocket with a 90-kilogram payload capacity. Its first stage uses a hybrid propulsion system powered by liquid oxygen and paraffin. The rocket represents the first step in the Hanbit family, designed to scale up to 1.3 metric tons with the upcoming Hanbit-Mini.
๐๐ซ๐๐ณ๐ข๐ฅ’๐ฌ ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ฐ๐๐ฒ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ฉ๐๐๐
Launched from Alcรขntara in Maranhรฃo, this mission carried eight payloads, including five small satellites for orbital deployment and three non-separation experimental devices as below:
โ Two satellites from Universidade Federal do Maranhรฃo, including Jussara-K from Epic of Sun , Brazil’s first AI-powered satellite
โ One satellite from Grahaa Space, India
โ Two satellites and one Inertial Navigation System from Brazilian Space Agency (AEB/MCTI)
โ One GNSS and one INS from CLC – Castro Leite Consultoria)
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ง๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฒ
Innospace’s approachโextensive testing, learning from setbacks, system refinementโreflects the New Space engineering philosophy that prioritizes adaptation over traditional perfectionism. This iterative methodology is how reliable launch services are ultimately established.
Brazil’s space launch sector is on the right path to welcomes additional participants. With simplification of the regulatory process, Alcรขntara has the potential to compete with global spaceports not merely as a launch facility, but as a vibrant innovation hub for space technologies across Latin America.
South Korea is entering the commercial launch race. Brazil is emerging as a serious gateway to space. Today’s outcome doesn’t diminish these trajectoriesโit’s part of the journey.
The space industry is built on learning from attempts like these.
๐๐ก๐๐ง ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ข๐ ๐ ๐ข๐ซ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ง’๐ญ ๐๐๐๐๐ก ๐๐ซ๐๐ข๐ญ: ๐๐ง๐ง๐จ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐๐๐’๐ฌ ๐๐ฉ๐๐๐๐ฐ๐๐ซ๐ 2025 ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง
