Space launch vehicle corporations INNOSPACE unveiled the multipurpose suborbital rocket "SEBIT" as it moved to expand its launch service portfolio.
INNOSPACE on the 31st unveiled SEBIT, a launch vehicle developed to meet testing, verification, and research demand needed in the technology development process for flight vehicles and space components.
SEBIT uses a 3-ton-thrust-class hybrid engine, enabling flights above an altitude of 50 kilometers, the company said. It is also designed to transmit in-flight real-time position data and payload information to the ground.
SEBIT is set to be used for a range of missions, including microgravity environment simulation, functional verification of scientific payloads and space components, and technology tests in high-speed, high-altitude environments. INNOSPACE plans to use it to respond more proactively to the growing testing and verification demand in the space sector.
The maiden flight test will take place in July this year at the Alcântara Space Center in Brazil. INNOSPACE said it will use the test to confirm performance and operational stability for commercialization.
With the unveiling of SEBIT, INNOSPACE has secured its third launch vehicle portfolio after the small scientific rocket "Blackbird" and the hybrid- and methane-engine-based space launch vehicle "HANBIT." The company said it will continue to expand its lineup of "mission-centric rockets" tailored to diverse missions and broaden its business scope.
Chief Executive Kim Su-jong of INNOSPACE said, "Through the SEBIT rocket, we will respond to demand not only in the rapidly growing and diversifying space sector but also in the defense sector," adding, "Based on our proprietary space technology, we will continue research and development to deliver high value-added integrated solutions that meet customer needs, and further leap forward as a space platform corporations that addresses demand for various space technology applications."
Meanwhile, INNOSPACE said it is upgrading components and advancing processes for "HANBIT-Nano," whose mission was halted during launch in December last year. The company plans to push for a follow-up launch in the third quarter of this year after obtaining launch approval from the Korea AeroSpace Administration.