Goheung: South Korea confirmed the successful launch of its homegrown space rocket Nuri from Naro Space Center, with the main unit of the 13 satellites deployed establishing communication with King Sejong Station in Antarctica.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the 200-ton Nuri took off from the center located in the southern coastal village of Goheung, 473 kilometers south of Seoul, at 1:13 a.m., after a brief delay caused by a sensor issue. The main satellite, CAS500-3, established communication with South Korea’s research center in Antarctica at 1:55 a.m., allowing experts to assess its condition.
Science Minister Bae Kyung-hoon announced the success of Nuri’s fourth launch during a press briefing at the center, confirming that all satellites have been put into orbit. He emphasized the shift in the space ecosystem towards the private sector, marking it as a pivotal moment in South Korea’s space exploration endeavors. The government aims to become one of the world’s top five space powerhouses.
Yoon Young-bin, administrator of the Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA), supported the view and highlighted plans to enhance South Korea’s space exploration capabilities. Continuous monitoring of the main satellite will be conducted through communication with other ground stations, including those in Daejeon and Norway.
The launch sequence saw Nuri separating its first stage about two minutes after liftoff, followed by the second stage four minutes and 30 seconds into the flight. Upon reaching the target altitude of 600 km, Nuri deployed the main satellite along with 12 cube satellites. The main satellite’s mission includes conducting space science research, measuring space magnetic fields and plasma, and observing auroras. Nuri’s flight concluded at 1:31 a.m., completing an 18-minute mission before its eventual reentry and disintegration.
South Korea’s journey with the Nuri rocket began in October 2021, with subsequent launches in June 2022 and May 2023 achieving significant milestones. The latest launch marked Hanwha Aerospace Co.’s first complete oversight of the assembly process, aligning with the government’s strategy to transfer space technology to the private sector.
Future plans include a fifth launch in 2026, followed by another in 2027. KASA aims to secure additional funding for a seventh launch in 2028 as part of efforts to enhance Nuri’s capabilities, with aspirations to conduct annual launches starting from the eighth launch.
KARI highlighted Hanwha Aerospace’s expanding role in upcoming launches, with technology transfers set to increase the company’s involvement. Park Jong-chan, director of the Korean Launch Vehicle Enhancement Program at KARI, mentioned that while public-purpose satellite launches will remain free through the sixth launch, discussions on cost assessments for private sector-led launches will commence starting from the seventh launch.