South Korea's first private space launch failed minutes after liftoff from Brazil, exploding due to an unknown anomaly.

South Korea's first commercial space launch, the Hanbit-Nano rocket by Innospace, failed on December 23, 2025, shortly after liftoff from Brazil’s Alcantara Space Center. The 57-foot-tall rocket exploded about a minute into flight, likely due to an anomaly, ending its mission to deploy satellites for Brazil and India. The launch, delayed by technical and weather issues, marked South Korea’s debut in private orbital launches. Innospace had not issued an official explanation, and the cause remains unknown. The setback underscores the challenges of early commercial spaceflight, though the company continues developing larger rockets.