The test sequence for launching the HANBIT-Nano rocket has been restarted and the rocket should be launched this Friday (19) at 3:34 pm, from the Alcântara Launch Center, in Maranhão, according to plans by the South Korean company Innospace, developer of the rocket.
The launch. The FAB (Brazilian Air Force) has a window of possible launches until next Monday (22). The entity did not explain the reasons for the change in launch date.
‘Operation Spaceward’, in partnership with the Brazilian Space Agency, marks Brazil’s entry into the global space launch market. On Tuesday afternoon (16), the Asian company made preparations for the first attempt to launch the rocket.
The objective of the mission is to transport five satellites and three experiments into space. The initiative is the result of a public call notice launched in 2020. The South Korean group was one of the selected companies, signing a contract with the Air Force Command in 2022.
The Alcântara base has a privileged geographical position, mainly because it is located close to the Equator. “We have had a lot of wasted potential over the last few decades, which is now a problem in relation to other countries, such as the USA, Russia, China, India, among others”, Pedro Pallotta, scientific popularizer and specialist in space issues.
FAB launches nationally manufactured rocket into space
Experimental rocket launched
In March 2023, Innospace launched the first rocket, experimentally, during Operation Astrolábio, also carried out at the Alcântara Launch Center, under the coordination of the FAB.
On that occasion, the performance of the 25-ton thrust hybrid rocket engine was validated. The test confirmed the performance of the propulsion system in flight, proved the technical maturity of the hybrid solution and laid the foundation for the development of more complex vehicles.
Understand what it was like and where the Brazilian rocket flight into space came from
What is HANBIT-Nano
The HANBIT-Nano is a two-stage orbital vehicle designed to place up to 90 kilograms of payload into a 500 kilometer orbit. The development mobilized 247 professionals, with 102 engineers dedicated exclusively to research and development.
The spacecraft measures 21.8 meters in height, 1.4 meters in diameter and integrates a new generation of small launchers, aimed at more agile, economical and highly reliable missions.
*Under the supervision of Thiago Félix
