South Korea's homegrown Nuri rocket successfully completed its fifth launch on October 7, deploying five microsatellites and nine CubeSats into their target orbits.
Launch details
The Nuri launch vehicle lifted off on October 7 at 12:25 p.m. from the Naro Space Center in Goheung-gun County, Jeollabuk-do Province, according to the Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA) and the Korea Aerospace Research Institute.
The rocket carried a record-high 15 satellites. All five microsatellites designed for the country's first microsatellite constellation and nine of the ten CubeSats onboard successfully separated from the rocket.
By 6 p.m. on the day of the launch, all five microsatellites had established two-way communications with ground stations in Korea and abroad, confirming their normal operations.
Operational significance
This mission represents the first time South Korea has simultaneously launched five national satellites on a single mission and achieved initial communications with all of them.
KASA Administrator Oh Taeseog said the successful communications demonstrated the country's capacity to mass produce satellites and operate satellite constellations.
The administrator added that KASA will continue with initial operations and performance verification to prepare the satellites for national security and disaster response duties.
Future plans
South Korea plans to launch the Nuri rocket at least once a year through 2032.
The launch vehicle's sixth mission is currently scheduled for the second half of next year.
Key facts and where they come from
- The homegrown Nuri rocket successfully completed its fifth launch on October 7.
The homegrown launch vehicle Nuri on its fifth launch has sent five satellites
- Nuri carried 15 satellites, successfully separating all five constellation microsatellites and nine CubeSats.
Nuri carried a record-high 15 satellites, with all five microsatellites for the constellation and nine of the 10 CubeSats successfully separating.
- All five microsatellites established successful two-way communications with ground stations.
all five microsatellites established two-way communications with ground stations in Korea and abroad, confirming their normal operations.
- KASA plans to launch the Nuri rocket at least once a year through 2032.
KASA will launch Nuri at least once a year through 2032, with its sixth slated for the second half of next year.