[Nuriho 3rd Launch] Successful Independence in Space Technology... Now Heading to the Moon

Meaning and Challenges of the 3rd Launch Success

The greatest significance of the successful third launch of Korea's first indigenous space launch vehicle, Nuriho, on the 25th, lies in achieving space technology independence through the practical use of space launch vehicles. However, challenges remain. It is urgent to secure international competitiveness through rapid performance improvements and to foster the private space industry.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The Significance of Practical Use of Indigenous Space Launch Vehicles

Until now, South Korea has suffered many hardships in satellite launches due to the lack of indigenous launch vehicles. A representative example is the four SNIPE satellites onboard the third Nuriho launch. Developed by the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI) for space weather observation and research, they were originally scheduled to be launched in mid-last year using a Russian Soyuz rocket. However, due to international sanctions following the Russia-Ukraine war, despite having paid about 65% of the launch costs, the launch was stalled. The launches of the second next-generation medium-sized satellite (Chajung) and the sixth multipurpose practical satellite (Arirang) also scheduled for the second half of last year have been continuously delayed for the same reasons. The Arirang-2 satellite launched in 2006 initially contracted with China's Long March launch vehicle due to lower costs, but the United States opposed it based on the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), forcing a switch to the Russian Soyuz launch vehicle, resulting in a loss of the contract deposit. Besides these, the lack of indigenous launch vehicles has repeatedly forced South Korea to depend on the launch vehicle-owning countries’ approval when launching domestically made satellites.

However, with the success of the second launch last year completing the development of Nuriho, this first operational deployment was successfully completed. South Korea has firmly established itself as a country possessing launch vehicles capable of placing commercial satellites over 1 ton into orbit. This is the seventh achievement worldwide, following the United States, Russia, China, Japan, the European Union (EU), and India. Nuriho has been verified for reliability and stability, establishing itself as a truly 'commercial space launch vehicle.' While the first and second launches were test flights, this time it carried 'guests' such as the 24 billion KRW next-generation small satellite No. 2 and the 10 billion KRW SNIPE satellites, successfully placing them into the target orbit of 550 km. It also acquired technologies necessary for full satellite launch missions, such as finely adjusting engine thrust according to the customer's desired target orbit and aligning the satellite ejection angle and direction. Many launch vehicles developed by other advanced space countries have been recognized for their performance after repeated improvements based on initial failure rates averaging around 30%, but Nuriho has consecutively demonstrated successful flights that no one else has achieved.

Remaining Challenges

The government is promoting three additional launches for Nuriho's advancement as well as the development of a next-generation launch vehicle with more than three times the performance. The budget has already been secured, and it is planned to be used for sending a lunar landing probe scheduled for 2032. However, without a 'quantum jump' through disruptive technologies such as reducing rocket manufacturing costs and reusability, securing international competitiveness is difficult. The launch cost per kilogram of SpaceX's Falcon 9, a U.S. private space company, has already dropped below $1,600. Excluding development costs, Nuriho's cost is about 20 times higher, at approximately $32,500.

Technologically, the gap is also significant. The Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) reported in 2021 that it would take about 20 more years to catch up with SpaceX in reusable launch vehicle technology. The private space industry remains in a 'nascent' state except for some areas like satellite manufacturing. It depends heavily on government orders amounting to only 700 to 800 billion KRW annually. This is incomparable to the U.S. market, where NASA alone spends about 30 trillion KRW and the total market exceeds 100 trillion KRW. The gap with China, which has a market size of about 10 trillion KRW, and Japan, with a maximum of 2 to 3 trillion KRW, is also wide. Along with ongoing space development missions such as the 2032 lunar landing probe launch and the establishment of the Korean Positioning System (KPS), challenges in new fields like manned space technology and space solar power technology are also necessary.

Professor Lee Chang-jin of Konkuk University's Department of Aerospace Engineering said, "While it is true that the successful third launch of Nuriho has passed a very important milestone, it does not mean that South Korea immediately becomes a space advanced country." He emphasized, "Although reliability has been secured, efforts should now focus on improving economic feasibility and fostering a genuine space industry through satellite components, materials, and information utilization." Professor Lee also added, "The establishment of the Space Aviation Agency remains uncertain, and the longer it is delayed, the harder it will be to build a foundation for further leaps. The government must provide steady support and set clear policy directions to become a true space advanced country."