South Korean Startup Innospace to Launch Country’s First Commercial Orbital Rocket

South Korean space startup Innospace is set to launch the country’s inaugural commercial orbital rocket this week after facing three delays. The Hanbit-Nano rocket is planned to take off from the Alcantara Space Center in Brazil at 3:45 p.m. local time on Monday, or 3:45 a.m. Korean time, as per company officials. The Hanbit-Nano vehicle will transport eight payloads, including five satellites, to a 300-kilometer low orbit. If successful, Innospace will achieve the milestone of being the first private South Korean company to deploy a customer satellite into orbit. The rocket, featuring a two-stage design, utilizes a 25-tonne thrust hybrid engine for the first stage and a liquid methane and oxygen engine for the second stage. The launch, initially scheduled for November 22, had to be postponed thrice due to various issues. The latest delay was due to a fuel tank problem, prompting the launch operator to reschedule the liftoff. Weather conditions, particularly a forecast of rain, may impact Tuesday’s launch. Innospace mentioned that the exact launch time will be subject to weather conditions, with the launch proceeding only in rain-free conditions. In a previous development in September, Innospace inked a $5.8 million deal with Media Broadcasting Satellite (MBS), a German satellite communications company, to provide launch services. As part of the agreement, Innospace will conduct two launch missions using the Hanbit launch vehicle to deploy MBS satellites into low Earth orbit from 2026 to 2029. Additionally, Innospace appointed MBS as its exclusive launch service and marketing agent in Germany to enhance its presence in the European space market.