
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
Over 60 local leaders push Netanyahu to halt haredi draft bill, warn of social rift - 2
Pick Your #1 Kind Of Bread - 3
Could the Star of Bethlehem have actually been a comet? - 4
The most effective method to Augment Benefits in Gold Speculation: Systems and Tips - 5
Instructions to Grasp the Innovation Behind 5G Pinnacles\
5 Advancement Developments in Biotechnology
Argentina joins NASA’s moon return with microsatellite testing GPS beyond Earth
December's overlooked meteor shower peaks next week — will the Ursids surprise us?
Uranus's small moons are dark, red, and water-poor
Exposure to neighborhood violence leads some Denver teens to use tobacco and alcohol earlier, new study shows
Gauging the Upsides and downsides of Visas: A Complete Aide
Travel Through France's Most Iconic Wine Regions By Train On An Immersive Seven-Day Journey
Focus on Yourself: Wellbeing and Taking care of oneself Practices
NASA's SPHEREx telescope completes its 1st cosmic map of the entire sky and it's stunning!













