4th Nuri rocket launch opens up private-led space era in Korea

The successful launch of a fourth Nuri rocket from the Naro Space Center in Goheung, South Jeolla Province, early Thursday signified not just further progress in the space industry, but an emphasis on empowering the private sector in the field.

Although an abnormal signal from the pressure sensor of the umbilical attached to the rocket delayed the launch by 18 minutes to 1:13 a.m., it eventually deployed 13 satellites into orbit, though not all have made contact with ground control.

It was the fourth launch of a Nuri rocket, also known as Korea Space Launch Vehicle-II or KSLV-II, the first rocket to be fully developed in South Korea, and the first to take place at night.

The launch was a smooth flight, as it was able to complete the separation of the first and second stage engines about two and five minutes after the liftoff, respectively. The Nuri rocket surpassed the 500-kilometer altitude some seven minutes after the blastoff and completed the stoppage of the third engine and orbit entrance some 12 minutes after the launch.

It deployed the Compact Advanced Satellite-3, or CAS500-3, a 500-kilogram next-generation midsized satellite built to conduct highly light-sensitive science missions, approximately 13 minutes after launch.

The remaining 12 cube satellites were released into a similar orbit at 20-second-intervals.

According to the Korea AeroSpace Administration, the CAS500-3 made its initial communication with the ground control at the King Sejong Station in Antarctica at 1:55 a.m. The satellite made 12 rounds of communication with the ground control centers in Korea, Antarctica and Norway through noon on Thursday.

Of the 12 cube satellites, five had made contact with the ground control as of noon on Friday. KASA said it would keep attempting to communicate with the rest of them.

“The Nuri rocket will enhance its technological stability and trust with two more flights through 2027,” said KASA Administrator Yoon Young-bin in a press briefing following the launch at the Naro Space Center.

“On top of that, KASA will push for the development of a next-generation space launch vehicle that is more advanced than the Nuri rocket based on the experiences of the Nuri rocket development’s experiences and expertise to bolster Korea’s space capabilities.”

Further Nuri rockets are set for launch in 2026 and 2027, and Yoon said KASA was preparing a budget for a seventh in 2028. There are plans to conduct at least one launch of a Nuri rocket per year from then, he added.

Unlike the three previous launches, Hanwha Aerospace took the lead in launching the Nuri rocket for the first time, as it has become won the contract to manage launches from the Korea Aerospace Research Institute.

Hanwha will be in charge of the next two launches as the defense conglomerate zeroes in on strengthening its space launch capabilities to bolster the country’s space ecosystem.

"It was difficult to maintain the industrial ecosystem due to a two-year-and-six-month gap between the third launch and the fourth launch but our partners overcame difficulties such as talent drain," said Hanwha Aerospace CEO Son Jae-il.

"The growth potential of space is unlimited and it is important to have a launch vehicle to materialize it. We cannot rely on foreign (launch vehicles). We are going to do our best to keep up the space launch capabilities while contemplating on commericial factors and next-generation space launch vehicles."

Korea became the seventh country in the world to have succeeded in launching payloads with a total weight of 1 metric ton or heavier into low-Earth orbit with the third Nuri launch in May 2023.

“Based on today’s success, we will unwaveringly push for Korea to become the world’s top 5 space powerhouse that develops next-generation space launch vehicles and explores moon and deep space,” said Bae Kyung-hoon, prime minister and minister of Science and ICT.