Innospace HANBIT-NANO
.jpg) HANBIT-NANO (International Astronautical Congress, 2022) | |
| Function | Launch vehicle |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Innospace |
| Country of origin | South Korea |
| Size | |
| Height | 21.8 m (72 ft) |
| Diameter | 1.4 m (4 ft 7 in) |
| Stages | 2 |
| Capacity | |
| Payload to SSO | |
| Altitude | 500 km (310 mi) |
| Mass | 90 kg (200 lb) |
| Launch history | |
| Status | Planned |
| Launch sites | Alcantara Space Center |
| First flight | Planned (second half of 2025) |
| First stage | |
| Thrust | 245 kN |
| Specific impulse | 292 sec |
| Burn time | 150 sec |
| Propellant | Paraffin / LOx |
| Second stage | |
| Thrust | 34 kN (Hyper) 29 kN (LiMER) |
| Specific impulse | 325 sec (Hyper) 350 sec (LiMER) |
| Burn time | 270 sec (Hyper) 300 sec (LiMER) |
| Propellant | Paraffin / LOx (Hyper) Methane / LOx (LiMER) |
HANBIT-NANO (Korean: 한빛-나노) is a two-stage launch vehicle currently under development by South Korean space startup Innospace.[1]
Development
In December 2024, the first and second stage separation verification tests, which are essential steps in the development of HANBIT-Nano, were successfully completed.[2] The test was conducted at the company's Cheongju plant in North Chungcheong Province, and was carried out in a test facility that simulated the single separation process.[3]
Technology
It is a two-stage launch vehicle that is 21.8 m long and 1.4 m in diameter and can launch 90 kg into a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 500 km.[1]
The first stage is equipped with one 25-ton hybrid engine, and the second stage is equipped with one 3-ton engine. The second stage operates the hybrid engine Hyper or the methane engine LiMER according to the launch mission requested by the customer, thereby providing a customized launch service.[4][1][5]
Instead of using gunpowder to create explosive force during the separation, a split nut method using pressure and screws has been adopted. Innospace explained, "Compared to the method using gunpowder, the structure is simple and lightweight, and in particular, it can minimize the impact on the projectile and payload during the separation process."[3]
The fairing developed by the company was specifically designed to maximize weight reduction and durability, and was made by using a carbon composite layering method instead of a metal structure, thereby achieving a lightweight structure. A high-temperature coating material was applied to ensure heat resistance that can withstand high-temperature environments.[4]
Launch
The first launch was initially scheduled for July 2025 from the Alcantara Launch Center in Brazil.[2] On May 2025 INNOSPACE announced that it was rescheduled to the second half of 2025 due to technical issues with the first-stage electric pump and hybrid propulsion system.[6][7]
See also
References
- ^ a b c "INNOSPACE HANBIT – Nano Hyper". 이노스페이스 (in Korean). Retrieved 2025-07-21.
- ^ a b "이노스페이스 "발사체 한빛-나노 단분리 시험 성공"". Yonhap News. 23 December 2024.
- ^ a b "국내 우주기업 이노스페이스, 발사체 '1·2단 분리 시험' 성공". Kyunghyang Shinmun. 23 December 2024.
- ^ a b "韓 최초 상업용 로켓 내년 3월 쏜다…핵심기술 '페어링 분리'도 성공". Newsis. 9 September 2024.
- ^ "INNOSPACE HANBIT – Nano LiMER". 이노스페이스 (in Korean). Retrieved 2025-07-21.
- ^ "INNOSPACE anuncia nova data do primeiro lançamento comercial do HANBIT-Nano". Agência Espacial Brasileira (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 2025-05-27. Retrieved 2025-07-21.
- ^ "INNOSPACE News". 이노스페이스 (in Korean). Retrieved 2025-07-21.