
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
Vote In favor of Your Favored Occasion Arranging Administration - 2
Charli xcx recorded original songs for 'Wuthering Heights' — what to know about the new album for Margot Robbie's film - 3
NASA Artemis II tracker: Crew less than 60,000 miles from moon ahead of Monday flyby - 4
Help Your Efficiency: 10 Authoritative Apparatuses to Attempt - 5
NASA probe captures stunning photos of Earth and moon on the way to infamous asteroid Apophis
Motivational Travel Objections for History Buffs
Safeguarding Your Senior Protection Against Extortion and Tricks.
The Best 15 Applications for Efficiency and Association
Olivia Rodrigo announces 3rd album, 'You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love,' set to debut in June
Ice Spice's 'Big Guy' SpongeBob song is stuck in everyone's heads again — and TikTok is fueling it
America's Confided in Fridge in 2024
Figurine of a woman and a goose offers peek at prehistoric beliefs
Discovering a sense of harmony: Individual Accounts of Reflection and Care
Exhaustive Experiences into Prudent Senior Living in the UK












