The Korea AeroSpace Administration, or KASA, confirmed the launch time Wednesday morning after reviewing the rocket’s technical condition, weather, space weather and possible collision risks with satellites and space debris. No technical problems had been detected, and weather conditions at the Naro Space Center in Goheung, on South Korea’s southern coast, were within launch limits.
The main thing to watch will come about 13½ minutes after liftoff.
For the first time, Nuri will attempt to deploy five primary satellites in succession. The NEONSAT microsatellites, Nos. 2 through 6, are to be placed into an orbit roughly 570 kilometers above Earth, with each released about 35 to 40 seconds apart. Ten smaller CubeSats, compact satellites built to standardized specifications, will follow.
KASA Administrator Oh Tae-seog described the five-satellite deployment as the key challenge of the mission, saying the rocket must change its orientation and separate each spacecraft accurately without allowing them to interfere with one another.
Nuri’s first stage is expected to separate about two minutes after launch, followed by fairing separation and then the second stage. Satellite deployment is scheduled to begin about 13 minutes and 30 seconds after liftoff, with the entire flight lasting just under 20 minutes. KASA is expected to announce its initial assessment of the mission roughly 90 minutes after launch.
The five NEONSAT spacecraft are part of a planned constellation designed to repeatedly observe the Korean Peninsula and surrounding areas for purposes including disaster response and national security. Another five are expected to fly on Nuri’s sixth mission next year. Once completed, the constellation is expected to be capable of imaging the Korean Peninsula more than three times a day.
Before liftoff, Nuri is scheduled to enter fully automated launch operations at 12:15 p.m. Its onboard computer will continuously check the vehicle’s condition, and the launch can still be halted automatically if an abnormality is detected. The first-stage engines are scheduled to ignite four seconds before liftoff. If the launch is postponed, KASA has designated Oct. 8 through 14 as backup dates.
The upcoming launch will test not merely whether Nuri can reach space again, but whether South Korea’s rocket can demonstrate the precision needed to deploy multiple satellites in sequence.
AJP Takeaways
- South Korea’s Nuri rocket is scheduled for its fifth launch at 12:25 p.m. Wednesday, carrying 15 satellites into orbit.
- The mission’s biggest technical challenge is deploying five NEONSAT microsatellites in succession, roughly 35 to 40 seconds apart, at an altitude of about 570 kilometers.
- The launch marks another step toward more precise satellite deployment and greater private-sector involvement in South Korea’s space program.
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