This Sept 14, 2018 file photo shows the launch tower of the Alcantara Space Center, Maranhao state, northern region of Brazil. PHOTO AP SEOUL - South Korean private space company Innospace successfully flown a test launch vehicle, marking the first of its kind by the country's private sector, local media reported on Tuesday.
Hanbit-TLV, a suborbital test launch vehicle developed by the space startup, was launched from the Alcantara Space Center in northern Brazil on Sunday at 2: 52 pm local time 1752 GMT.
The 8.4 ton thrust single stage hybrid rocket saw its engine combust for 106 seconds, making a flight of 4 minutes and 33 seconds before falling into Brazilian waters.
It was 12 seconds less than the originally planned engine combustion time of 118 seconds, but the engine operated normally during the flight while maintaining its thrust stability, Innospace was quoted by local media as saying.
South Korea's startup became the country's first private company for space launch vehicles with an independent engine technology capable of providing commercial launch services.
With the engine performance confirmed, Innospace is reportedly planning to produce Hanbit-Nano, a two-stage small satellite launch vehicle that can put a 50 kg payload into a 500 km Sun-Synchronous Orbit.
The company plans to test-launch Hanbit-Nano and provide commercial launch services next year.