Ministry of Science and ICT-KARI Unveil Final Assembly Site on the 3rd
Korea's first indigenous space launch vehicle, Nuriho, is progressing smoothly with its third launch. Only the installation and final assembly of the payload on the third stage remain. The third launch is a crucial hurdle to secure the stability and reliability of Nuriho's performance, especially considering that all launch vehicles show a failure rate of around 30% in the early stages of development. Given the heavy responsibility of launching practical satellites developed at a cost of hundreds of millions of won into space, the development team is tightening their focus as much as they did during the first and second launches.
On the 3rd, the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) revealed the preparation site for the third Nuri rocket launch at the launch vehicle assembly building of Naro Space Center in Goheung-gun, Jeollanam-do. The first and second stages of the Nuri rocket are stored combined. Photo by KARI
On the afternoon of the 3rd, the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) unveiled the third Nuriho launch vehicle to the press at the launch vehicle assembly building of the Naro Space Center in Goheung, Jeollanam-do. At the assembly building, the massive cylindrical first and second stages of Nuriho, measuring 35 meters in length, were fully assembled and awaiting the third stage assembly. With about 20 days left until the scheduled launch on the 24th, only the task of loading eight satellites into the third stage payload bay and assembling it with the first and second stages remained.
Two days earlier, one of the 'guests,' the 'Next-Generation Small Satellite 2' developed by the Satellite Research Center of the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), had already arrived and was waiting for its turn to be loaded. After the press arrived, other CubeSats developed elsewhere were brought one by one onto the table in the center of the assembly building for final inspection and assembly preparation. Four space weather observation satellites named Doyosat from the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI), as well as CubeSats from private companies Lumir, Justek, and Kairospace, also arrived at the assembly site that day. The 7-ton class engine to be mounted on the third stage, the fairing (satellite protective cover), and the clamp band connecting the satellite and the third stage were also on standby.
Kairospace Cube Satellite KSAT3U delivered to the satellite storage building at Naro Space Center. Photo by KARI
The KARI technical team in charge of assembly completes the final inspection of each satellite and first mounts the main payload, the Next-Generation Small Satellite 2, on top of the third stage. Then, they install the deployment devices carrying seven CubeSats on both sides, and finally cover the third stage with the fairing to complete it. Jang Young-soon, a senior researcher at KARI, explained, “Since each satellite varies in size and type, the adapter inside the payload must be changed accordingly. We fabricate necessary structures such as deployment devices and supports as needed to load the satellites.”
Currently, more than 100 personnel, including KARI technicians, Hanwha Aerospace staff, and representatives from participating companies, are sweating through the final inspection work at the Naro Space Center. This third launch is the first launch of the Korean Launch Vehicle Advancement Project. Following the successful second launch last year, which concluded the development of Korea's indigenous launch vehicle, this project involves repeated launches of Nuriho to verify its performance and enhance its stability and reliability. Especially in line with the new space era, Hanwha Aerospace is participating as a 'system integrator' to revitalize the private space industry. Hanwha Aerospace led the development of the Nuriho engine and is acquiring comprehensive technology related to space launch vehicles through this participation.
Researchers at the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute are conducting final inspection work on the TOYOSAT satellite delivered to the Naro Space Center satellite storage building. Photo by KARI
Chosunhak, Director of the Large Public Policy Research Division at the Ministry of Science and ICT, stated, “The third launch of Nuriho is a process of challenging new tasks such as launching practical satellites and the participation of a system integrator company. We will spare no support to ensure the successful third launch of Nuriho, Korea's indigenous space transportation system.”
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