South Korean startup Innospace's Hanbit-Nano rocket, on its first commercial orbital mission, lifted off from Brazil's Alcantara Space Center but crashed about 30 seconds later due to an immediate abnormality. It was carrying five satellites for 300-km low Earth orbit. The failure occurred in a safety zone with no casualties.
South Korean space startup Innospace launched its Hanbit-Nano rocket—aimed at becoming the country's first private orbital launch of a customer payload—from Brazil's Alcantara Space Center on December 22, 2025, at 10:13 p.m. local time (December 23 Korean time). Flames appeared immediately after liftoff, and the vehicle crashed roughly 30 seconds later due to an abnormality, according to the company.
The 21-meter two-stage rocket carried five satellites for deployment into 300-km low Earth orbit. Its first stage featured a 25-ton-thrust hybrid engine, with the second using liquid methane and oxygen.
The launch faced three postponements since November 22, including a same-day delay for rain. Innospace's YouTube livestream ended about one minute after takeoff. The crash stayed within the safety zone, avoiding casualties or extra damage.
No cause details have been released. The incident highlights hurdles in South Korea's growing private space sector while showcasing Innospace's pioneering role. Alcantara's equatorial position aids efficiency via international collaboration.
