Destiny's '16 Minutes 7 Seconds'... Nuriho, Only Launch Left [Reading Science]

The Korean launch vehicle Nuriho (KSLV-II), designed and manufactured purely with domestic technology, stands upright on the launch pad at Naro Space Center in Goheung-gun, Jeollanam-do, one day before its second launch on the 20th. Photo by Korea Aerospace Research Institute

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-su] ‘16 minutes 7 seconds.’ This is the time that will determine the success of Korea’s first indigenous space launch vehicle ‘Nuriho,’ a project developed over the past 12 years with an investment of 2 trillion won.

Nuriho will be launched after 4 p.m. on the 21st. The final launch time will be decided on the day, considering weather conditions such as wind speed, clouds, and lightning over Naro Island, as well as the possibility of collisions with space objects.

After being transported to the launch pad the day before, Nuriho was erected vertically and fixed on the launch pad. An umbilical, which functions similarly to an umbilical cord, was connected to conduct comprehensive checks on fuel and electrical systems. Fuel and oxidizer will be injected starting four hours before launch. If the final inspection shows no abnormalities, the countdown and automatic launch operation will begin 10 minutes before launch.

At launch time, the first stage’s 300-ton class engine (four 75-ton class engines) will ignite and the fixed devices will be released. After a few seconds, once sufficient thrust is generated, the launch vehicle will lift off and the umbilical plate will separate. About 127 seconds after launch, the first stage will separate at an altitude of 57 km; at 233 seconds, the fairing will separate at 191 km; and at 274 seconds, the second stage will separate at 258 km. Notably, exactly 897 seconds after launch, the performance verification satellite will be released at the target altitude of 700 km, followed by the separation of the satellite mock-up about 70 seconds later. If everything proceeds normally during the total 16 minutes and 7 seconds, the technical team at the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) will analyze the data about 30 minutes later and officially declare the launch a success.

The launch is comprehensively commanded from the Mission Director Center (MDC) within the Naro Space Center. To track the launched Nuriho, tracking radars and telemetry antennas are installed and operated at the Naro Space Center and Jeju Island. Tracking during the latter part of the flight is handled by a telemetry antenna installed in Palau, Philippines.

Nuriho will fly past points approximately 100 km away from Jeju Island and Japan’s Fukuejima, respectively. The first stage is expected to fall into the sea about 413 km from the launch site, the second stage about 2,800 km away, and the fairing about 1,514 km away.