What Went Wrong? South Korea's Hanbit-Nano Rocket Crashes Shortly After Launch

The Hanbit-Nano, South Korea's first commercial orbital rocket, faced a crash shortly after its launch from Brazil due to a malfunction. This incident occurred just 30 seconds post-liftoff, although no injuries were reported. The rocket was intended to deploy five satellites into low Earth orbit, marking a significant milestone for Innospace, the operator. The launch had already been delayed multiple times due to technical issues and weather conditions. This setback raises questions about the future of South Korea's ambitions in the space industry, especially following a recent contract with a German satellite company for future launches.

By Narendra Chaudhary Dec 23, 2025, 11:01 IST

Hanbit-Nano's Launch and Crash

Seoul: The Hanbit-Nano, marking South Korea's inaugural commercial orbital rocket, experienced a crash shortly after its launch due to a malfunction, as reported by its operator, Innospace.

The rocket lifted off from the Alcantara Space Center in Brazil at 10:13 p.m. local time on Monday, according to reports.

However, just 30 seconds post-launch, the vehicle fell back to the ground, as stated by Innospace.

Fortunately, the crash occurred within a designated safety zone, resulting in no injuries or additional damage.

During a YouTube livestream of the event, flames were visible immediately after takeoff, leading to the suspension of the broadcast.

Earlier that day, the launch had faced delays due to adverse weather conditions at the Brazilian site.

The rocket was intended to carry five satellites into a low orbit of 300 kilometers.

Had the mission succeeded, Innospace would have achieved the milestone of being the first private South Korean entity to launch a customer satellite into orbit.

This two-stage rocket utilized a hybrid engine with a thrust of 25 tonnes for the first stage, while the second stage was powered by a liquid methane and oxygen engine.

The launch had already been rescheduled three times since its initial planned date of November 22.

Delays occurred twice the previous week due to issues with avionics and a fuel tank.

In September, Innospace secured a $5.8 million contract with Media Broadcasting Satellite (MBS), a German satellite communications firm, for launch services, as reported.

Under this agreement, Innospace is set to conduct two missions using the Hanbit vehicle to deploy MBS satellites into low Earth orbit between 2026 and 2029.

Additionally, Innospace appointed MBS as its exclusive launch service and marketing agent in Germany, aiming to enhance its footprint in the European space sector.

MBS will have exclusive rights to market and distribute launch services based on the Hanbit vehicle to satellite clients in Germany.