As part of the consolidation of the Brazilian Space Program and the country’s entry into the global market for launching payloads into space, the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) and the South Korean company Innospace are moving forward with the final preparation stages for the launch of the HANBIT-Nano orbital rocket. The mission, scheduled for November 22 from the Alcântara Launch Center (CLA) in Maranhão (Brazil), is part of Operation Spaceward and represents the first commercial launch carried out from Brazilian territory.
Payload integration began on November 10, marking one of the most critical phases before the launch. During this stage, various tests were conducted to ensure electrical, mechanical, and functional compatibility between the satellites and the launch vehicle. The goal was to ensure that all equipment is properly linked to the booster rocket’s system, maintaining the highest safety and reliability standards. According to Colonel Engineer Rogério Moreira Cazo, general coordinator of the operation, the FAB provides technical support and supervises the process from the CLA’s Propellant Preparation Building.
The Spaceward mission will carry five satellites and three experimental prototypes developed by universities, companies, and space agencies from Brazil, South Korea, and India. Among them are units developed by the Federal University of Maranhão (UFMA), the Brazilian Space Agency (AEB), the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC), the company Castro Leite Consultoria (CLC), and the Indian startup Grahaa Space. The equipment will perform scientific and technological functions, including climate data collection, navigation system validation, and microgravity experiments.
For the execution of this operation, the FAB deployed approximately 400 personnel (300 military members and 100 civilians) specialized in engineering, telemetry, logistics, security, communications, and aerospace medicine. They were joined by 60 technicians and representatives from the South Korean company, in a joint effort that symbolizes the high level of international cooperation achieved in the space sector. The Alcântara Launch Center, with more than four decades of experience and more than 500 operations carried out, is thus consolidated as one of the most strategic bases in the world due to its proximity to the Equator, which reduces launch costs and increases energy efficiency.
The HANBIT-Nano rocket, developed by Innospace, is a two-stage orbital vehicle with hybrid propulsion capable of placing up to 90 kilograms of payload into orbit at an altitude of 500 kilometers. Measuring 21.8 meters in length and 1.4 meters in diameter, it belongs to a new generation of small launch vehicles designed for more agile, economical, and environmentally friendly missions. Its hybrid engine, with 25 tons of thrust, combines paraffinic solid fuel with liquid oxidizer, ensuring low operating costs, structural simplicity, and safety.
Innospace, headquartered in South Korea, specializes in designing and manufacturing orbital and suborbital launch vehicles, hybrid engines, and aerospace components. Recognized as the second company worldwide in hybrid propulsion technology, it seeks to offer accessible, reliable, and sustainable launch services for the growing small-satellite market. In October, the firm received from the Korea Aerospace Agency (KASA) the first commercial launch authorization ever granted to a private South Korean company, a milestone that confirms compliance with the most rigorous technical, environmental, and safety standards.
Cooperation between the FAB and Innospace began to solidify after the successful experimental flight of the HANBIT-TLV rocket in March 2023, during Operation Astrolábio. That test validated the performance of the hybrid engine and established the technological foundations for the development of the HANBIT-Nano, as well as more powerful models such as the HANBIT-Micro and HANBIT-Mini, currently under development. Likewise, Operation Falcão I, carried out in March 2025 by the FAB, strengthened the training of its operators through the launch of a training rocket, laying the operational groundwork for the commercial missions now taking shape.
The integration and qualification process of the HANBIT-Nano encompassed nine technical milestones between 2024 and 2025, including stage separation tests and engine trials. Each phase demonstrated the system’s maturity and reliability, the result of joint work by 247 professionals, more than a hundred of whom were involved in research and development. After receiving dual launch authorization from KASA and the Brazilian Space Agency, the program reached its final phase, with Brazil positioned as a new player in the global market for orbital launch services.
The upcoming HANBIT-Nano flight will not only mark the first commercial launch from Alcântara, but also Brazil’s formal entry into the select group of countries capable of offering space transportation services. For the Brazilian Air Force, the success of the mission will consolidate the technological maturity achieved by the Launch Center and its ability to attract investment, promote innovation, and foster the country’s scientific and industrial development.
*Image credits: Brazilian Air Force.
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