Nuriho 2nd Launch 'Success'... Entered the World's Top 7 Space Powers [Nuriho 2nd Launch]

The Korean launch vehicle Nuriho (KSLV-II), designed and manufactured purely with domestic technology, is soaring into space with flames erupting from the launch pad at Naro Space Center in Goheung-gun, Jeollanam-do on the 21st. Unlike the first launch, which carried only a dummy satellite with no actual functionality, the second Nuriho launch this time carried a performance verification satellite and four CubeSats. / Goheung = Photo by Joint Press Corps

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-su] South Korea has risen to become the world's seventh space power with the successful second launch of its first independently developed space launch vehicle, Nuriho (KSLV-II).

The Ministry of Science and ICT and the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) held a press conference at around 5:10 p.m. on the 21st at the Naro Space Center in Goheung-gun, Jeollanam-do, announcing that the Nuriho launched that day successfully placed a performance verification satellite and a satellite mock-up into a 700 km altitude orbit.

The Nuriho was launched precisely at 4:00 p.m. that day, flying due south. It perfectly completed all stages including first stage separation at 123 seconds at an altitude of 62 km, fairing separation at 227 seconds at 202 km altitude, second stage separation at 269 seconds at 273 km, reaching 700 km altitude and performance verification satellite separation at 872 seconds, and satellite mock-up separation at 922 seconds. Subsequently, the first connection between the performance verification satellite and the Antarctic King Sejong Station was also successful.

After analyzing and confirming this information, the Nuriho Launch Management Committee determined that the vehicle flew on a normal trajectory and that each stage, fairing, and satellite separation as well as orbit insertion were successfully carried out, officially declaring it a 'final success.' Going forward, the performance verification satellite will sequentially deploy CubeSats developed by Chosun University, Seoul National University, Yonsei University, and KAIST starting from the 28th.

The second launch was originally scheduled for the 15th but was postponed by a day due to strong winds and then delayed again to the 21st, ending in a 'happy ending' after many twists and turns. In particular, during the inspection process after the transfer and erection of the Nuriho vehicle on the afternoon of the 15th, an abnormality was found in the sensor measuring the oxidizer tank fill level of the first stage engine, posing a crisis. If major repairs such as first and second stage separations were needed, the launch could have been delayed by more than a month. However, KARI engineers confirmed through an emergency inspection that the issue could be resolved by replacing only the sensor’s core component, repaired it, and rescheduled the launch for the 21st, when it was carried out. The Nuriho was developed directly by KARI and over 300 private companies, covering all technologies including the design, manufacture, testing, and operation of the 75-ton class liquid engine, propellant tanks, launch pad construction and operation, and engine clustering.

Nuriho is a medium-sized liquid engine rocket capable of placing a 1.5-ton practical satellite into low Earth orbit (600?800 km). Globally, only six countries?the United States, Russia, China, Europe, Japan, and India?possess this capability. Israel, Iran, and North Korea also have space launch vehicles, but they are around 300 kg class and not comparable. South Korea pursued the development of a fully independent space launch vehicle for over ten years following the joint development of Naroho (KSLV-I, successfully launched in 2013 with Russia). This was the largest space development project since the founding of the nation, with a budget of 1.9572 trillion won. The government plans to build and launch four more Nuriho vehicles to increase reliability and develop next-generation launch vehicles with advanced technology for independent lunar exploration. Additionally, through this process, the government aims to foster the domestic space industry suitable for the New Space era by creating an industrial ecosystem related to launch vehicle development and strengthening industrial capabilities.

Minister of Science and ICT Lee Jong-ho stated, “The government plans to further enhance South Korea’s satellite launch capabilities by developing space launch vehicles with improved performance based on the experience and technology gained from Nuriho development,” adding, “I sincerely thank the public for their warm encouragement and support, and all the scientists, engineers, and industry personnel who have overcome numerous hardships over a long period and devoted their sweat and passion to the successful launch.”