Nuri Rocket Set for Fifth Launch with 15 Satellites

The Nuri rocket is preparing for its fifth space flight.

According to the Korea Aerospace Administration and the Korea Aerospace Research Institute, the launch is scheduled between 12:23 PM and 1:23 PM on October 7. The final launch time will be confirmed by the launch management committee after reviewing technical readiness, weather, and space conditions.

While the Nuri rocket will carry 15 satellites into space, simply reaching the target altitude will not be deemed a success. The key objective of this launch is to accurately place five primary satellites, specifically the small satellite constellation units 2 to 6, into their designated orbits.

The main mission of the fifth Nuri launch is to place the five small satellite constellation units into an orbit at an altitude of 570 km, with an allowable margin of error of 15 km.

In the previous fourth launch, the goal was to place the next-generation medium satellite 3 within a margin of 35 km at a target altitude of 600 km. This time, the required precision for orbital insertion has increased.

The Nuri rocket will carry a total of 15 satellites. The five primary satellites are the small satellite constellation units 2 to 6, while the remaining 10 are CubeSats developed by universities, companies, and research institutions.

Not all 15 satellites need to be successfully deployed for the Nuri launch to be considered a success.

The official success of the Nuri launch will be determined based on whether the five primary satellites reach their target orbits. If the 10 secondary satellites are also successfully placed into the 570 km orbit, it will be considered a successful secondary mission.

Another key aspect of this launch is the sequential separation of the five primary satellites. This will be the first time the Nuri rocket launches multiple satellites of the same type as primary payloads.

To prevent collisions between satellites, the Nuri rocket will adjust its orientation and separate the five small satellite constellation units at intervals of 35 to 40 seconds in different directions.

A new low-impact satellite separation device has also been implemented to reduce the shock experienced during separation.

Once separated, the satellites will adjust their speeds and altitudes. They are expected to be arranged in the same orbit with 72-degree spacing over a period of about 2 to 3 months.

The success of the Nuri rocket will not be immediately confirmed upon liftoff.

The Korea Aerospace Administration plans to analyze the flight and satellite deployment results approximately 90 minutes after the launch and announce the results.

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