South Korean company INNOSPACE has launched a sub-orbital rocket from the Alcântara Launch Center, Brazil. The mission took place at 1752 GMT on 19 March and saw the Hanbit-TLV vehicle fly on a sub-orbital trajectory. The mission was primarily intended to test a INNOSPACE-developed hybrid rocket engine powered by paraffin wax and LOx. Although the mission appears to have lifted-off successfully, a lack of further communication from INNOSPACE makes it difficult to determine whether or not it was able to gather all the data it needed about its engine.
The engine is reportedly designed to generate 150 kN thrust and is planned to power the first stage of the company’s future orbital launch vehicles.
Despite being a sub-orbital mission the rocket carried an “inertial navigation system” payload developed by the DCTA, Brazil, known as SISNAV.
