Innospace

[Mahurora]

There are currently 2 private launch vehicle developers in Korea, one being Perigee Aerospace and the other being Innospace.

Innospace was found in 2017, a few years later than Perigee but have since then showcased faster progress, mainly due to the fact that the founder was a former employee at Hanwha Aerospace and worked as a solid propellant rocket engineer there. For those who don't know, Hanwha is the manufacturer of various boosters/rocket motors for missiles in service for ROKA. It seems plausible that the founder was involved in Hyunmoo ballistic missile development as well.

Currently there are 39 employees, of which some are former employees of other defense related companies and agencies like ADD. It also seems to be that there's a non-Korean engineer in their team as well, which is indeed quite a surprise.

Their goal is to develop 3 different LVs, namely Icarus-N, Icarus-M and Icarus-S. These LVs range from a nanosat launcher of 50kg capacity to 500km SSO, to small sat launcher that can put 500kg into 500km SSO. Their engines are Paraffin-LOX hybrid motors that utilises electric feed cycle.

Plan is to carry out first launch in Alcantara, Brazil in the first half of next year.

[Mahurora]

Some of their engine test footages :




(from 2:07)

[Mahurora]

[trimeta]

I don't suppose they have a webpage with further information?

[Steven Pietrobon]

I don't suppose they have a webpage with further information?

Here's their website.

http://www.innospc.com/

The website says their vehicles are called HANBIT–Nano (50 kg to SSO), HANBIT–Micro (150 kg to SSO) and HANBIT–Mini (500 kg to SSO).

[PM3]

the first launch of the 15-ton test projectile Hanbit, scheduled for June next year at the Alcantara Launch Center in Brazil

https://www.joongang.co.kr/article/25002931#home - 31 August 2021

Innospace is aiming for the first launch in the second half of 2022, and plans to enter the micro-satellite launch vehicle market in the future.

https://mobile.newsis.com/view.html?ar_id=NISX20211202_0001672905 - 2 December 2021

[PM3]

On Monday, December 6, 2021, INNOSPACE’s sounding rocket BLACK BIRD-3 was successfully launched for cloud seeding test of the National Institute of Meteorological Sciences (NIMS) at Defense Systems Test Center of Agency for Defense Development (ADD).

The rocket deployed the cloud seeding flares at the target altitude of 2km as expected. BLACK BIRD–3 is a “cloud seeding” sounding rocket that employs a hybrid rocket.

[PM3]

the first launch of the 15-ton test projectile Hanbit, scheduled for June next year at the Alcantara Launch Center in Brazil

https://www.joongang.co.kr/article/25002931#home - 31 August 2021

This will be a suborbital test article, and the launch is now announced for December 2022. Translated from rocket-startup-slang to real time, this means it probably won't launch before 2024.

https://spacenews.com/south-koreas-innospace-schedules-december-test-launch-carrying-brazilian-military-payload/

[Tywin]

https://twitter.com/conexionspacial/status/1531301362448859137

[Mahurora]

https://twitter.com/innospacecorp/status/1598542547672272899

[Mahurora]

https://twitter.com/innospacecorp/status/1599596433447202816

https://twitter.com/innospacecorp/status/1601015988736372736

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://twitter.com/innospacecorp/status/1605154958365855744

Postponed from planned lift-off today after INNOSPACE found that it needed additional checkups on its valve of HANBIT-TLV. Team in the Alcântara Space Center will take hold of this issue soon, and set target launch date again.

Hoping for lift-off soon. Stay tuned for updates!!

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://twitter.com/innospacecorp/status/1605484286777339904

Ready for lift-off!!

HANBIT-TLV on INNOSPACE  launch pad ahead of launch attempt today from the Alcântara Space Center. Waiting for the optimal launch time, maybe between 6:00 and 8:00 am BRT. Hoping for successful launch. 💫🚀🇰🇷🇧🇷

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://twitter.com/innospacecorp/status/1605862075368198144

Due to an error in a safety management system, found after the completed lift-off preparations of HANBIT-TLV, its test launch attempt has not made on Dec. 21 BRT unfortunately. After checkups with Brazilian Air Force, the new launch window can be set. Stay tuned for updates.

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://twitter.com/innospacecorp/status/1607680155782348800

Expected to try again the HANBIT-TLV test flight in Q1 2023. Currently completed checkups for an unexpected system synchronization issue. Continuing our launch journey next year! Stay tuned for update. 🎥HANBIT-TLV on Dec. 21

[Fmedici]

New launch window announced:

https://twitter.com/innospacecorp/status/1631140534428528641

[Fmedici]

Attempt announced for today, launch window still to be defined
https://twitter.com/innospacecorp/status/1633071368475648000?s=20

[Fmedici]

Cross-post:

https://twitter.com/innospacecorp/status/1637647659296264192

[Steven Pietrobon]

Innospace plans to launch their orbital rockets from the Arnhem Space Centre! First launch is in early 2025. From the picture, this will probably be the HANBIT-Nano.

https://ela.space/ela-signs-multi-launch-contract-with-innospace-from-asc/

EQUATORIAL LAUNCH AUSTRALIA SIGNS MULTI-LAUNCH CONTRACT WITH INNOSPACE TO CONDUCT ORBITAL LAUNCHES FROM ARNHEM SPACE CENTRE   

17 August 2023, Adelaide, Australia and Sejong, Korea

Equatorial Launch Australia (ELA) the developer, owner and operator of the Arnhem Space Centre (ASC) on the Gove Peninsula in Australia’s Northern Territory, has today signed a multi-year, multi-launch contract with Korean aerospace company, INNOSPACE, for a series of orbital launches from the Australian spaceport.

The agreement will see the launch of several INNOSPACE rocket variants each carrying between 50kg and 500kg payloads into low earth orbit from the ASC across a five-year timeframe until Dec 2028. 

ELA is widely regarded as the most advanced multi-user commercial spaceport in the world, and the signing of this contract has validated the business concept and development plans by securing INNOSPACE – the only hybrid-fuelled rocket company worldwide to have successfully launched into space – as the first commercial company to become a ‘resident launcher’ (long term tenant and regular launcher) at the Australian spaceport. The first launches by INNOSPACE from the ASC are expected to commence in early 2025. ELA previously had a three-launch contract with NASA.

ELA has been working with the Australian Space Agency (ASA) to expand its existing Launch Facilities Licence (LFL) to support orbital launches from the ASC with a range of orbital rockets, differing azimuths and trajectories and a much wider array of propellant mixes and rocket configurations as part of its Phase 2 Development Plan. This work with the ASA will now expand to assist INNOSPACE to obtain its first Australian Launch Permit (ALP). This ALP approval process is expected to take between 6 and 14 months commencing later his year.

As one of up to seven planned ‘resident launchers’ INNOSPACE will be allocated a Space Launch Complex (SLC), comprising two modern ASC launch pads customised to INNOSPACE’s rocket requirements and an extensive Horizontal Integration Facility (HIF) which allows for rocket assembly, payload integration (in an ISO 8 clean room) and has overhead cranes, offices, workshops and system test facilities in a temperature and humidity controlled environment. Each SLC is fully enclosed and encompasses a range of ITAR compliance measures including video and movement sensor security, extensive fencing, and access control.

Michael Jones, Executive Chairman and Group CEO of ELA said the contract with INNOSPACE was a major milestone for ELA. “We are delighted to announce this multi-launch and long-term agreement with INNOSPACE and what we hope is the first of several launch agreements which we have been developing for some time. INNOSPACE is a truly innovative company with outstanding technology and is one of the leaders in the emerging market of smaller launch providers. INNOSPACE is one of the first of the next batch of “new space” rocket companies to launch and with increasing congestion at major spaceports globally, INNOSPACE has recognised the unique launch/geographic, infrastructure and commercial benefits of launching from the ASC.” 

“The launch contract and associated space launch complex agreement which we have been discussing for over a year provide INNOSPACE with the flexibility they require around launching a range of launch vehicles at an increasing cadence over the next five years,” he said.

“This contract demonstrates the potential for the ASC to deliver on our goal of being the pre-eminent commercial launch site globally. With the combination of our launch pad design/technology, launch inclination options, geopolitically stable base, infrastructure, logistics and engineering support solutions we have developed, we know we offer a highly competitive and attractive spaceport solution,” said Mr Jones. 

“Last year’s three successful launches with NASA allowed us to showcase the skill and capabilities of both the ELA team and the Arnhem Space Centre to the world. We’re excited to embark on that journey again – this time with INNOSPACE. It is a very important part of our ethos and culture to be known for what we achieve and not what we predict, and this contract again shows this aspect of ELA.”

Dr Soojong Kim, CEO of INNOSPACE said, “we are thrilled to have secured an optimal launch spaceport, the ASC, which has the benefits of launching from an equatorial spaceport and brings launch efficiencies through this multi-launch agreement with ELA. Our goal is to offer customers greater flexibility for their launch schedule and orbit access with frequent dedicated launch opportunities. We expect to enable our satellite customers to achieve significant innovation with our orbital launch services by launching from the ASC.”

[CameronD]

As a supplier of large areas of flat red dirt and nothing else, ELA marketing themselves as being "widely regarded as the most advanced multi-user commercial spaceport in the world" is probably pushing it.. a lot.  But this is exciting news nonetheless.  Having a customer whose launch vehicles appear to work will certainly help!!

Hopefully this announcement will wake up the sleepers in Canberra..

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://twitter.com/innospacecorp/status/1722775827883200935

📍Reusability: At our hot-fire facility in Geumsan, we're developing a reusable rocket powered by a hybrid rocket engine. Our team has designed a sub-scale reusable rocket and is working hard towards successful flight tests. Stay tuned for RLV development updates!

#RLV

[Galactic Penguin SST]

https://twitter.com/innospacecorp/status/1722775827883200935

📍Reusability: At our hot-fire facility in Geumsan, we're developing a reusable rocket powered by a hybrid rocket engine. Our team has designed a sub-scale reusable rocket and is working hard towards successful flight tests. Stay tuned for RLV development updates!

#RLV

How do you make recovery work with a hybrid fuel engine I wonder…?

[Asteroza]

https://twitter.com/innospacecorp/status/1722775827883200935

📍Reusability: At our hot-fire facility in Geumsan, we're developing a reusable rocket powered by a hybrid rocket engine. Our team has designed a sub-scale reusable rocket and is working hard towards successful flight tests. Stay tuned for RLV development updates!

#RLV

How do you make recovery work with a hybrid fuel engine I wonder…?

A restartable hybrid?

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://twitter.com/innospacecorp/status/1737259293836030262

📍Reusability: Our team has started flight tests for a 3.6m tall RLV demonstrator powered by a hybrid rocket engine. In our second attempt, the vehicle showed stable vertical take-off and landing, marking a significant initial milestone.

The RLV demonstrator achieved stable flight, reaching a maximum altitude of 6.3 m, maintaining control accuracy within 0.3 m, and landing at a speed below 0.5 m/s.

This test provided validation for the performance of the targeted propulsion system, control system, trajectory optimality, and landing speed.

As we progress, the flight envelope for the reusable launch vehicle demonstrator will be gradually extended. Stay tuned for updates on this exciting journey!

Thanks to our consortium partners: KAIST, Korea Aerospace University, and Cheongju University.

#RLV #ReusableRocket

[FutureSpaceTourist]

[Steven Pietrobon]

Just realised the Innospace logo is very similar to the logo used by the bad guys in the Thunderbirds episode, "The Cham-Cham"!

https://securityhazard.net/2017/02/10/thunderbirds-25-the-cham-cham/thecham-cham00132/