The SEBIT suborbital rocket, from the South Korean company InnoSpace, will be launched this Wednesday (19), at 3:45 pm (Brasília time). The launch will take place at the Alcântara Launch Center (CLA), on the coast of Maranhão. This will be the first rocket launch operation at the site since the HANBIT-Nano explosion in December 2025.
SEBIT is a multifunctional rocket developed for test missions, technology verification and payload research. The device can reach altitudes of up to 100 kilometers.
The launch is part of the preparation for a new attempt to launch the HANBIT-Nano, an orbital rocket capable of placing satellites into orbit. The model uses the same propulsion technology involved in the December 2025 accident.
If the flight does not occur on the scheduled date, the mission can be carried out within the launch window, which remains open until August 28th. According to the company, the flight may be postponed for meteorological, technical or operational reasons.
The launch of SEBIT also marks the first commercial contract for ALADA (Empresa de Projetos Aeroespaciais do Brasil S.A.). Created by the federal government in June 2025, the state-owned company operates in the development of aerospace projects and the commercial exploitation of Brazilian launch centers.
SEBIT was developed to transport equipment and experiments to altitudes between 50 and 100 kilometers, on test missions, technological verification and scientific research.
The rocket can be used in experiments in microgravity conditions, scientific research, functional tests of space components and technological demonstrations in high-speed and high-altitude environments.
The model has a hybrid engine with 3 tons of thrust and an integrated telemetry system, used to transmit and analyze, in real time, information such as the position of the rocket and the status of the payload during the flight.
According to InnoSpace CEO Kim Su-jong, the device was developed to meet the demand for scientific research and demonstrations of space technologies in areas such as biotechnology, medicine, new materials and guidance, navigation and control systems.
The objective of launching SEBIT is to test the rocket's systems in real flight conditions. During the mission, propulsion, navigation, telemetry and operation systems will be evaluated.
The data collected will be used in the development of the company's future missions, including the next launch of HANBIT-Nano, scheduled for November 2026.
Before launch, the SEBIT rocket underwent a series of tests and preparation procedures carried out in Brazil and South Korea.
On August 3, InnoSpace completed SEBIT ground qualification tests in South Korea. During the procedure, the rocket's hybrid engine was activated for 83 seconds, a time equivalent to that predicted for this phase of the flight.
On August 14, the General Launch Rehearsal was carried out, the last stage of preparation for the flight. The procedure simulated the operations planned for launch day, including refueling the rocket, the operation of control systems, integration with ground installations and safety protocols.
The launch will take place at the Alcântara Launch Center (CLA), on the coast of Maranhão. The location is strategic as it is close to the Equator, a condition that favors certain types of launches and can reduce fuel consumption.
The closer to the Equator, the greater the rotation speed of the Earth's surface. This speed can be used by the rocket during launch, reducing the amount of fuel needed to reach certain orbits.
Furthermore, Alcântara offers conditions for different orbit inclinations and has an area with low population density around the launch center, characteristics that favor the safety of operations.
This will be the first launch of a rocket at the Alcântara Launch Center (CLA) after the HANBIT-Nano explosion, on December 22, 2025. The accident left no injuries.
The vehicle presented an "anomaly" seconds after takeoff and disintegrated in the air, according to a report released by InnoSpace.
The investigation found that the problem began with a seal failure in the combustion chamber. About 33 seconds after launch, there was a leak of combustion gases, which caused the structure to rupture and led to the loss of the rocket.
InnoSpace foresees a new attempt to launch the HANBIT-Nano from Alcântara in November this year. The model is the same one that exploded a few seconds after takeoff in December 2025, during the company's first commercial orbital launch attempt from Brazil.
The mission should evaluate the improvements implemented in the launch system after the accident. The exact launch date still depends on the completion of technical, operational and regulatory steps. Weather conditions and flight safety requirements will also be considered.
