Commercial launches from Alcântara, Brazil — Innospace HANBIT-Nano and SEBIT

Alcântara, on the Maranhão coast at 2°18′ south, is Brazil's equatorial launch site. The Alcântara Launch Centre (CLA) was created in 1983 on an isolated 620 sq km peninsula. Being close to the equator saves up to about 30% of fuel compared with Cape Canaveral, according to Pesquisa FAPESP. Commercial use became possible after the 2019 Brazil–US Technology Safeguards Agreement, which protects US technology used in rockets launched from the site. The Brazilian Space Agency (AEB) runs public calls and preselection. The CLA runs the site and negotiates contracts. Since 2025 a new state-owned company, ALADA (Empresa de Projetos Aeroespaciais do Brasil), finds customers and links them with the authorising bodies. In 2021 the first call selected C6 Launch, Virgin Orbit, Orion AST and Hyperion Rocket Systems. Innospace (South Korea, founded 2017, about 260 staff) took Hyperion's place after it withdrew.

First flight: on 19 March 2023, Innospace's 16.3 m HANBIT-TLV flew Operation Astrolábio from Alcântara. It was the first private launch operation in Brazil. It tested Innospace's hybrid engine (liquid oxygen and paraffin) and carried SISNAV, an 18 kg inertial navigation system built by Brazil's Institute of Aeronautics and Space (IAE). The flight lasted 4 min 33 s. It ran under a 48-month technology cooperation agreement with Brazil's Department of Aerospace Science and Technology (DCTA), supported by AEB.

HANBIT-Nano: a two-stage rocket, 21.8 m tall and 1.4 m wide, able to put 90 kg into a 500 km sun-synchronous orbit. Its first stage uses a 25-tonne hybrid engine. Customers can pick a hybrid or a methane upper stage. Korea's KASA authorised the first mission, "Spaceward", on 20 Oct 2025. It lifted off on 22 Dec 2025 at 22:13 local time with five small satellites and three fixed experiments for Brazilian and Indian customers, and crashed within about a minute. The joint investigation with Brazil's aeronautical accident investigation centre (CENIPA) traced the failure to a gas leak in the first-stage combustion chamber. Seals had deformed when they were refitted after a plug replacement in Brazil (report of 17 Mar 2026).

SEBIT: a single-stage suborbital rocket with a 3-tonne hybrid motor, designed for flights of up to 100 km for research, microgravity and component testing. Innospace signed a launch site agreement with ALADA in July 2026, and AEB authorised a launch on 22 June 2026. On 19 Aug 2026 SEBIT lifted off at 16:30 local time, left its planned path, and the range activated the flight termination system after about 35 seconds. It came down in the sea safety zone, with no injuries or damage. On 30 Sep 2026 Innospace said its analysis of the telemetry found a flaw in the algorithm that moves the four rear fins to steer the rocket: at low speed, the design's predictions did not match what happened in flight. Its own non-explosive flight termination system worked as designed. CENIPA's investigation, run with Innospace, is still open.

Next: a second SEBIT verification flight, which Innospace is aiming for in November 2026 (dates not fixed; agreed with ALADA and the Brazilian Air Force), then HANBIT-Nano Flight 2 with Innospace's own InnoSat-0 test satellite and a SpaceBey deployer, now first half of 2027. ALADA says about 20 companies are in talks to use Alcântara. AEB expects about one launch a month in the short to medium term.

Milestone path

1. 1983 (year only)

   Alcântara Launch Centre created

   Achieved

   Brazil created the Alcântara Launch Centre (CLA) on a 620 sq km peninsula in Maranhão, at 2°18′ south.

   Why it matters: Its near-equator location saves up to about 30% of fuel compared with Cape Canaveral.

2. 2019 (year only)

   Brazil–US safeguards agreement

   Achieved

   The Brazil–US Technology Safeguards Agreement protects US technology used in rockets launched from Alcântara.

   Why it matters: It made commercial launches from the site possible.

3. 19 Mar 2023

   HANBIT-TLV flies Operation Astrolábio

   Achieved

   Innospace's 16.3 m HANBIT-TLV made Brazil's first private launch. It tested the hybrid engine and carried the SISNAV navigation payload built by Brazil's Institute of Aeronautics and Space.

   Why it matters: It proved a foreign private launcher could operate at the state site.

4. 3 Jan 2025 (law published)

   ALADA created to market Alcântara

   Latest

   A law created ALADA, a state-owned company under NAV Brasil, to find launch customers and link them with the authorising bodies.

   Why it matters: ALADA is now the commercial front door for launch firms wanting to use Alcântara.

Milestone path

1. 20 Oct 2025

   Korea authorises Spaceward mission

   Achieved

   Korea's KASA authorised HANBIT-Nano's first mission, "Spaceward".

   Why it matters: First licence for a Korean private orbital launch abroad.

2. 22 Dec 2025, 22:13 local

   First orbital attempt fails

   Achieved

   HANBIT-Nano lifted off with five small satellites and three fixed experiments for Brazilian and Indian customers, and crashed within about a minute.

   Why it matters: The loss delayed Alcântara's first commercial orbital service.

3. 17 Mar 2026 (report)

   Failure traced to seal leak

   Achieved

   The joint investigation with Brazil's CENIPA traced the failure to a gas leak in the first-stage combustion chamber. Seals had deformed when they were refitted in Brazil.

   Why it matters: A clear, fixable cause supports a return to flight.

4. 22 Jun 2026 (AEB authorisation); 6 Jul 2026 (ALADA agreement announced)

   SEBIT cleared for Alcântara

   Latest

   The Brazilian Space Agency authorised a SEBIT launch, and Innospace signed a launch site agreement with ALADA for the suborbital rocket.

   Why it matters: SEBIT adds a research and component-testing service to the site.

Milestone path

1. 19 Aug 2026, 16:30 local

   SEBIT first flight terminated

   Achieved

   SEBIT left its planned path, and the range ended the flight after about 35 seconds. It came down in the sea safety zone, with no injuries or damage.

   Why it matters: A second early loss in eight months makes range safety and reliability the focus.

2. 30 Sep 2026

   Fin control algorithm identified

   Latest

   Innospace's telemetry analysis found that the fin control algorithm did not match low-speed flight behaviour. HANBIT-Nano Flight 2 was moved to the first half of 2027.

   Why it matters: CENIPA's official finding, which is still open.

3. November 2026 (Innospace target; dates not fixed)

   Second SEBIT verification flight

   Planned

   Innospace is aiming to fly SEBIT again from Alcântara in November 2026, with dates being agreed with ALADA and the Brazilian Air Force.

   What to watch: no launch had been reported by 9 Nov 2026; a clean flight is needed before HANBIT-Nano returns.

4. First half of 2027

   HANBIT-Nano Flight 2 with InnoSat-0

   Planned

   HANBIT-Nano is due to fly again with Innospace's own InnoSat-0 test satellite and a SpaceBey deployer.

   What to watch: Alcântara's first successful orbital launch, and whether ALADA's 20 or so interested companies follow.