Nuri rocket erected on launch pad ahead of fifth flight on Oct 7
Version 3: The rocket has completed its transfer and was erected and fixed on the launch pad at 10:35 on Oct 6, with umbilical connections and leak checks now under way; the report also adds detail on the 15-satellite payload, its separation sequence and Hanwha Aerospace personnel operating launch consoles.
In short
South Korea's Nuri rocket moved from its assembly building to the second launch pad at the Naro Space Center in Goheung on the morning of Oct 6 and was erected and fixed in place at 10:35, according to the Korea AeroSpace Administration and the Korea Aerospace Research Institute. The 1.8 km transfer at about 1.5 km/h took roughly an hour and a half, and crews are now connecting power and propellant lines and running leak checks. The final launch time is to be set on Oct 7 by a launch management committee, with the fifth launch planned for that day carrying 15 satellites.
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South Korea's Nuri rocket left the assembly building at the Naro Space Center in Goheung on the morning of Oct 6 and arrived at the second launch pad about an hour and a half later, the Korea AeroSpace Administration and the Korea Aerospace Research Institute said, according to Kyunghyang Shinmun, Yonhap, Chosun Ilbo, Newsis, Dong-A Ilbo and CBS NoCut News. The rocket was carried 1.8 km on a no-vibration transporter at about 1.5 km/h, Kyunghyang Shinmun and Yonhap reported. Chosun Ilbo, Newsis and CBS NoCut News said the transfer began at 06:00, while Kyunghyang Shinmun, Yonhap and Korea Economic Daily gave a departure time of about 06:10. Chosun Ilbo, Yonhap and Newsis reported the rocket reached the pad at 07:30, and Chosun Ilbo and Newsis said erection and fixing were completed at 10:35. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 19 , 23 , 24 ]
Work at the pad continues through the afternoon. Crews are connecting the rocket to the umbilical lines that supply power and propellants, then running leak checks on the connections, according to Kyunghyang Shinmun, Yonhap, Electronic Times, Newsis, CBS NoCut News and Dong-A Ilbo. Newsis specified that kerosene and liquid oxygen lines are being attached and that a leak test is run on piping and joints before any propellant is loaded, along with checks of the rocket's avionics. Pad installation is to be completed within Oct 6 if no problems are found, CBS NoCut News and Electronic Times reported, and Kyunghyang Shinmun and Yonhap said pad work is scheduled to end around 18:45. [ 1 , 2 , 6 , 7 , 9 , 13 , 16 , 17 , 19 , 20 , 24 ]
The final launch time is to be set on Oct 7, with the launch management committee meeting in the morning, Kyunghyang Shinmun, Yonhap, Electronic Times, Newsis, Dong-A Ilbo and CBS NoCut News reported. Yonhap said the committee meets about four hours before launch, at 08:00, and reviews technical readiness, weather, the space environment and the risk of collision with space objects. Kyunghyang Shinmun gave the launch time as 12:23 on Oct 7 and Yonhap gave about 12:25, saying it is not expected to change much, while CBS NoCut News gave a launch window of 12:23 to 13:23. [ 1 , 2 , 6 , 7 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 13 , 19 ]
Kyunghyang Shinmun reported the rocket will carry 15 satellites, the most of any Nuri launch, including five ultra-small cluster satellites known as NeonSat. ZDNet Korea and CBS NoCut News said the payload consists of cluster satellites 2 through 6 and 10 cube satellites, that the five main satellites separate from about 13 minutes 30 seconds after liftoff at 35-to-40-second intervals, and that the third stage rotates 180 degrees to release them in different directions. The separated satellites are expected to take about two to three months to settle into position, and the space agency plans to add five more satellites on next year's sixth launch for a total of 10 in two orbital planes, CBS NoCut News reported. Kyunghyang Shinmun put the target altitude at about 570 km, while ZDNet Korea described a sun-synchronous orbit in the 500 km range. [ 1 , 9 , 11 , 19 ]
Yonhap reported that Hanwha Aerospace led production of the rocket, the second launch in a row with the system integrator in charge, unlike the first through third launches led by KARI, and described the flight as aiming to secure reliability through repeated launches and to speed up a transition to private-led development. CBS NoCut News reported that 18 Hanwha Aerospace personnel will directly operate some consoles at the launch control center, with KARI in charge of management and oversight. [ 2 , 11 , 19 ]
Weather has been a factor in past preparations. Kyunghyang Shinmun noted that strong winds pushed back the transfer by a day before the second launch in June 2022 and that rain delayed the start of the transfer by about an hour and a half before the fourth launch last November, and reported that no strong wind or rain is forecast in Goheung on the transfer day or the launch day. [ 1 ]
Why it matters
Yonhap reported that the flight is meant to secure reliability through repeated launches and to accelerate a transition to private-led launch vehicle development, with Hanwha Aerospace as system integrator for a second consecutive launch. Kyunghyang Shinmun and ZDNet Korea reported that the rocket carries 15 satellites, the most of any Nuri flight, which several outlets described as a more complex mission than earlier single-payload launches. The documents frame the event as a national space program milestone rather than a commercial mission.
Key facts
- The fifth Nuri rocket launch is scheduled for Oct 7. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 6 , 7 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 18 ]
- The rocket left the assembly building for the second launch pad at the Naro Space Center in Goheung on the morning of Oct 6. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 ]
- The transfer covers 1.8 km on a no-vibration transporter at about 1.5 km/h and takes roughly an hour and a half. [ 1 , 2 , 6 , 7 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 ]
- The rocket arrived at the launch pad at 07:30, and erection and fixing were completed at 10:35. [ 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 19 , 23 , 24 ]
- The final launch time is to be decided on Oct 7 by a launch management committee. [ 1 , 2 , 6 , 7 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 13 , 19 ]
- The rocket carries 15 satellites, the most in any Nuri launch, including five ultra-small cluster satellites. [ 1 , 9 , 11 , 19 ]
- Yonhap reported that Hanwha Aerospace led production for a second consecutive launch, unlike the first through third launches led by KARI. [ 2 , 11 , 19 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The fifth Nuri rocket launch is scheduled for Oct 7. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 6 , 7 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 18 ]
- The rocket began moving from its assembly building to the second launch pad at the Naro Space Center on the morning of Oct 6. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 ]
- The transfer covers 1.8 km at about 1.5 km/h and takes roughly an hour and a half. [ 1 , 2 , 6 , 7 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 ]
- The rocket arrived at the launch pad at 07:30. [ 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 19 ]
- Erection and fixing of the rocket at the launch pad were completed at 10:35. [ 23 , 24 ]
- The final launch time is to be decided on Oct 7 by a launch management committee, which is to review technical readiness, weather, the space environment and the risk of collision with space objects. [ 1 , 2 , 6 , 7 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 13 , 19 ]
- KARI held a launch readiness committee meeting at 18:30 on Oct 5 and judged that the transfer could proceed. [ 3 , 6 , 7 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 16 , 17 , 19 ]
- The rocket carries 15 satellites, the most in any Nuri launch, including five ultra-small cluster satellites. [ 1 , 9 , 11 , 19 ]
- Yonhap reported that Hanwha Aerospace led production of the rocket, the second launch in a row with the system integrator in charge, unlike the first through third launches led by KARI. [ 2 , 11 , 19 ]
Still unclear
- The exact launch time on Oct 7. Kyunghyang Shinmun gives 12:23, Yonhap gives about 12:25 and says it is not expected to change much, and CBS NoCut News gives a launch window of 12:23 to 13:23; the documents do not state that a final time has been fixed.
- What took place between the rocket's 07:30 arrival at the launch pad and the 10:35 completion of erection and fixing. Yonhap reported on Oct 6 morning that the rocket was expected to be erected around 10:10, and Chosun Ilbo and Newsis later reported erection and fixing completed at 10:35; the documents do not detail the intervening steps.
- The target altitude of the mission. Kyunghyang Shinmun says the target altitude is about 570 km, while ZDNet Korea says the target orbit is a sun-synchronous orbit in the 500 km range; the documents do not reconcile the two figures.
- The extent of Hanwha Aerospace's role in launch operations. Only CBS NoCut News reports that 18 Hanwha Aerospace personnel will directly operate some consoles at the launch control center, with KARI in charge of management and oversight.
- Whether weather could still affect the schedule. Kyunghyang Shinmun reports that no strong wind or rain is forecast for Goheung on the transfer and launch days, but notes wind delayed the transfer before the second launch and rain delayed it before the fourth launch.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- KARI holds a launch readiness committee meeting to review the rocket's technical status and weather and decides the transfer can proceed. [ 3 , 6 , 7 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 16 , 17 , 19 ]
- The Nuri rocket's transfer to the second launch pad begins; several outlets give 06:00, while Kyunghyang Shinmun, Yonhap and Korea Economic Daily give about 06:10. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 16 , 17 , 19 ]
- The rocket arrives at the second launch pad, about an hour and a half after departure. [ 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 19 ]
- Erection and fixing of the rocket at the launch pad are completed. [ 23 , 24 ]
- Launch pad operations, including umbilical connection and leak checks, are scheduled to end. [ 1 , 2 , 6 ]
- The launch management committee is to meet, about four hours before launch, to decide the final launch time. [ 2 , 6 , 7 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 13 , 16 , 19 ]
- Launch time given by Kyunghyang Shinmun and CBS NoCut News; Yonhap gives about 12:25. [ 1 , 2 , 11 , 19 ]