Space launch vehicle corporations INNOSPACE joined hands with the Brazilian Air Force's aerospace accident investigation agency to conduct a joint root-cause analysis of the abnormal signs that occurred during the first commercial launch of Hanbit-Nano.
INNOSPACE said on the 26th that it has begun a joint investigation with the Brazilian Air Force's "Center for Investigation and Prevention of Aeronautical Accidents (CENIPA)" into the first commercial launch of Hanbit-Nano. CENIPA is Brazil's dedicated aerospace accident investigation agency that scientifically analyzes the causes of aircraft and launch vehicle accidents in accordance with international standards.
Earlier, INNOSPACE conducted the first commercial launch of Hanbit-Nano at the Alcântara Space Center in Brazil on Dec. 22 last year. However, about 30 seconds after liftoff, an anomaly in the vehicle was detected, and the mission was terminated early in accordance with safety procedures. The company said at the time there were no casualties or additional facility damage.
On the 12th, CENIPA disclosed that it classified the launch as an incident, not an accident. INNOSPACE said CENIPA, before starting the investigation, sent an official letter clarifying that the procedure is a technical incident investigation aimed at identifying the cause to enhance the safety and likelihood of success of future launches, not for determining legal liability or negligence or for damages.
The joint investigation will proceed based on the initial analysis conducted immediately after the launch with the Brazilian Air Force. The company said it will finalize the follow-up launch schedule as soon as it organizes the ongoing root-cause analysis results and plans for technical supplementation and verification. After the investigation concludes, it will determine the scope of corrective measures and the time required and then provide guidance on the follow-up launch plan. Once technical improvements are completed, the company plans to push ahead with a follow-up launch after obtaining a launch license from the Korea AeroSpace Administration.
Kim Su-jong, CEO of INNOSPACE, said, "The measurement and tracking data obtained during flight are an important technical asset for advancing launch vehicle technology," and added, "Based on the accumulated data from this flight and the results of the joint investigation, we will raise the technical completeness of the Hanbit launch vehicle and boost launch reliability and the success rate."