South Korea has taken a major step in its private space ambitions with the launch of its first commercial orbital rocket, developed by space startup Innospace.
The Hanbit Nano rocket was launched from the Alcantara Space Centre in Brazil on Tuesday, according to South Korean media reports.
The launch took place at 10:13 pm local time on Monday, corresponding to early Tuesday in South Korea. Shortly after liftoff, flames were observed emerging from the rocket, raising concerns about a possible technical malfunction. Innospace has not yet provided further details regarding the cause or severity of the issue.
The company broadcast the launch live on YouTube but ended the livestream approximately one minute after liftoff. Despite the incident, the mission represents a significant milestone for South Korea’s growing commercial space sector.
The Hanbit Nano rocket was carrying multiple payloads, including five satellites, which were intended to be placed into low Earth orbit at an altitude of around 300 kilometres.
If the mission is ultimately deemed successful, Innospace would become the first private South Korean company to place a client’s satellite into orbit.
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