Rocket to be launched from Brazil’s Alcântara base Sunday
The launch of a rocket at the Alcântara Launch Center base on the coast of Maranhão state, Northeast Brazil, on Sunday (Dec. 18), marks the beginning of a public–private partnership between Brazil and South Korea to launch small satellites.
The HANBIT-TLV is a small, unmanned satellite launcher with non-toxic and non-explosive engine technology, produced by South Korean aerospace startup Innospace. This will be the equipment’s first test flight.
For the launch, the rocket will use propellants based on liquid oxygen and paraffin. Its patented electric pump power system will carry as payload an Inertial Navigation System, developed by civilian and military professionals from Brazil’s Institute of Aeronautics and Space.
The flight is a test to verify the performance of the HANBIT-TLV engine. The rocket will not enter orbit, as it will soar no higher than 100 km.
The deal inked by the South Koreans and the Brazilian government in 2022 should last for five years and stipulates that other rockets may be launched from Alcântara as of next year.
The launch center is considered strategic in the space market as it is just 17 minutes away from the Equator, which means flights from there can reach space faster, resulting in major savings in fuel—the highest expense in such operations.
