
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission.
Update for 7:40 p.m. ET on Dec. 19: Innospace has called off today's planned launch of the Spaceward mission due to a technical issue. A new target date has not yet been announced.
South Korean startup Innospace is set to attempt its first orbital launch today (Dec. 19), and you can watch the action live.
Liftoff is currently scheduled for 7:30 p.m. EST (9:30 p.m. local time and 0030 GMT on Dec. 20) from the Alcantara Space Center in Brazil. Innospace's Hanbit-Nano rocket will aim to insert five small satellites for customers from Brazil and India into a 186-mile-high (300 kilometers) orbit and mark a first for a private Korean company.
Watch it live here at Space.com, courtesy of Innospace, or directly via the company. Coverage will begin at 6:30 p.m. EST (2330 GMT).
"Hanbit-Nano has been successfully rolled out from the integration facility and transported to the launch pad ahead of liftoff. Preparations for the Spaceward mission are right on track," Innospace said Wednesday (Dec. 16) in a post on the social media platform X.
The 57-foot-tall (17.3 meters) rocket is designed to be able to launch 198 pounds (90 kilograms) into a sun-synchronous orbit from Brazil. The rocket's first-stage hybrid engine burns paraffin and liquid oxygen while the upper stage uses methane and liquid oxygen or paraffin and liquid oxygen, depending on its configuration.
Innospace CEO Kim Soo-jong told Space.com at the International Astronautical Congress in Sydney, Australia, in October that the company was established in 2017 and employs 260 people.
"All of our technology is developed by ourselves. The engineers are Korean, and the development is fully indigenous," Kim said. "Korea has built an ecosystem to develop a launch vehicle. We work with more than 100 supply-chain companies in South Korea," he added.
Kim said Innospace is very focused on the global market. "We already have around 14 contracts with global satellite companies."
A lot is riding on this first launch. Kim said that Hanbit-Micro, an advanced model of Hanbit-Nano that can carry 375 pounds (170 kg) to orbit, is set to begin commercial flights early next year, should all go according to plan.
Today's launch was originally scheduled for Wednesday (Dec. 17), but Innospace pushed it back two days to replace a part in the cooling system of the rocket's first stage.
LATEST POSTS
- 1
Watch Blue Origin's huge New Glenn rocket ace its epic landing on a ship at sea (video) - 2
The Secret Destinations Amex Says Will Be More Popular Than Bali by 2026 - 3
Far-right leader Le Pen to attend Brigitte Bardot's funeral - 4
Step by step instructions to Streamline Your Dozing Involvement in a Savvy Bed - 5
Vote in favor of Your #1 Instructive Toy: Learning and Tomfoolery Joined
'The Beast in Me' arrives on Netflix: Is it based on a true story? And what drew Claire Danes to it? What to know about the thriller series.
Moving Wedding Objections for Paramount Functions
Monetary Strengthening: Assuming Command over Your Cash
Poland Crypto Bill Clears Sejm Again, Defying President — Will “Restrictive” Rules Stick?
How grandchildren are stepping up to fill the caregiver gap
My Pioneering Excursion: Building a Startup
Telescope in Chile captures stunning new picture of a cosmic butterfly
American tourists left stranded in the Caribbean following flight cancellations after airspace closed for Maduro operation
Gaza humanitarian efforts reach key milestone as UNICEF vaccinates some 13,000 children












