Innospace plans to launch technology demonstration rocket in northern Brazil

Innospace's Hanbit-TLV test rocket at the Alcantara Launch Center in northern Brazil. [INNOSPACE]

A Korean start-up is taking a second shot at private rocket launch.

Innospace, a local space start-up, plans to launch its technology demonstration rocket to an altitude of 100 kilometers (62.1 miles) in a suborbital test from Alcântara Launch Center in northern Brazil.

Named Hanbit-TLV, the test launch vehicle is a 16.3-meter single-stage rocket designed to verify the performance of a 15-ton-thrust rocket engine developed by Innospace.

If successful, it will be Korea’s first privately-built test rocket launch.

The preliminary launch window is between Mar. 7 to 21. Innospace will designate the specific launch date in consideration of various factors including weather conditions, said the company.

It is Innospace’s second attempt at the launch of Hanbit-TLV.

The Sejong-based start-up was originally scheduled to launch the Hanbit-TLV on Dec. 19 from the Alcantar Launch Center, yet had to delay the launch three times due to unfavorable weather conditions and technological issues.

The launch had been postponed indefinitely since then.

“In December 2022, the scheduled test launch was called off due to an unexpected synchronization error between the launch site’s safety management system and Hanbit-TLV’s ignition system,” said Innospace in a statement released Thursday.

“Innospace and the Brazilian Air Force have confirmed that the systems operate without an issue now, after a full inspection of the systems from electric signal transmission through the synchronization program.”

Despite being a test vehicle, Hanbit-TLV will carry a real payload instead of a dummy load.

The 20-kilogram payload will be an inertial navigation system developed by the Brazilian Air Force’s Department of Aerospace Science and Technology.

Innospace aims to develop Korea’s first private commercial satellite launcher, the Hanbit-Nano, with data collected from the test launch.

Hanbit-Nano will be a two-stage rocket equipped with a 15-ton-thrust hybrid engine, powered by solid fuel and liquid oxidizer.

“The first-stage engine is a core part of a rocket that has the most thrust power and most complex structure,” said Kim Soo-jong, Innospace CEO.

“Therefore the performance verification test of a first-stage rocket engine is an important process to develop and secure an original launch vehicle technology.”

BY SHIN HA-NEE [shin.hanee@joongang.co.kr]