Innospace inks deal with Australian launch site operator

Hanbit-TLV, a test rocket developed by Innospace, takes off at the Alcantara Launch Center in northern Brazil at 2:52 p.m. on Sunday. [BRAZILIAN AIR FORCE]

Rocket startup Innospace signed an agreement with Australia’s private launch site operator for space vehicle launches.

Innospace on Thursday said it inked a five-year contract with Equatorial Launch Australia that will run until Dec. 2028 to use its launch site at Arnhem Space Centre in Northern Territory, Australia, as a commercial space launch service business.

Equatorial Launch Australia will also support Innospace for the company to acquire Australia Launch Permit from the local authorities.

In March, Innospace conducted a test launch for Korea’s first privately-developed launch vehicle, Hanbit-TLV in Brazil.

Hanbit-TLV, the test vehicle, is a 16.3-meter (53.5-foot) single-stage rocket designed to verify the performance of a 15-ton-thrust rocket engine developed by Innospace.

Innospace aims to develop Korea’s first private commercial launcher, the Hanbit-Nano, by 2024.

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