
Dec 23 (Reuters) - South Korean satellite launch company Innospace on Monday launched the first commercial rocket from Brazil's Alcantara Space Center, a milestone for the firm and Brazilian aerospace ambitions that ended with a crash.
The HANBIT-Nano vehicle lifted off at 10:13 p.m. Brazil time (0113 GMT), five days later than originally scheduled.
Just two minutes after the launch, a live feed within the official livestream showed a message noting an "anomaly" was experienced during the flight. The livestream ended immediately afterward.
According to Brazil's air force, the rocket began its vertical trajectory as planned, but an issue prompted a crash into the ground. Officials and firefighters were sent to analyse the wreckage and the collision area, the air force added in a statement.
Innospace has not provided further information about the launch and did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The firm's South Korea-listed shares fell about 24% in midday trading after the crash, the biggest intraday decline since August.
The launch was delayed from Wednesday after an anomaly in a cooling unit component of the first-stage oxidizer feed system during final inspections, and again on Friday for a few hours due to unfavourable weather conditions.
In a previous statement, Innospace said it replaced the component on the launch pad, allowing the Spaceward mission to proceed within its December 16-22 launch window. It was launching eight registered cargoes, including five small satellites, for undisclosed customers.
The Brazilian air force and space agency offered operational support for the launch in coordination with key agencies.
In March 2023, Innospace had launched its test vehicle HANBIT-TLV from the same facility in northeast Brazil to verify the performance of its 150 kN hybrid rocket engine.
(Reporting by Fernando Cardoso; Editing by Jamie Freed)
LATEST POSTS
- 1
UN chief warns he could refer Israel to ICJ over laws targetting UNRWA - 2
Manual for 10 Scrumptious Specialty Mixed drinks - 3
Holiday travel: Best days to hit the road as 110 million Americans expected to drive over Christmas and New Year's - 4
Check out the exclusive pitch deck Valerie Health used to raise $30 million from Redpoint Ventures to automate healthcare faxes - 5
Relentless rise in carbon pollution from fossil fuels slightly dampens climate-fighting hopes
6 Asian Urban areas to Visit
Tech giants accused of not complying with Australian social media ban
UN panel says Israel operating 'de facto policy of torture'
Family Matters: Tips and Guidance for Effective Nurturing and Everyday Life
Plane Passenger Allegedly Includes ‘Bomb Threat’ in Hotspot Network Name, Forces Flight to Make Emergency Landing
4 Family SUVs: Joining Solace and Style
Kona SUV: Exploring the Future with Hyundai's Visionary Hybrid
Extravagance SUVs for Seniors: Solace, Innovation, and Security
NASA astronauts take new moonsuit for a swim | Space photo of the day for Nov. 28, 2025













