Nuri rocket launches 15 satellites; 14 separate normally, agency says
In short
South Korea's Nuri rocket lifted off at 12:25 p.m. local time on Oct 7 from the Naro Space Center in Goheung, carrying five NEONSAT cluster satellites and 10 cube satellites. A project official said 14 of the 15 satellites separated normally, while the cube satellite Persat-02 did not. A summary of the launch results was scheduled for 1 p.m.
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South Korea's Nuri rocket lifted off at 12:25 p.m. local time on Oct 7 from the Naro Space Center in Goheung with 15 satellites aboard, according to the outlets covering the launch. The payload consisted of five ultra-small cluster satellites, NEONSAT 2 through 6, and 10 cube satellites. The Korea Aerospace Administration's launch management committee had reviewed the rocket's technical readiness, weather and space conditions and set the launch time at 12:25 p.m., Asia Economy reported. [ 1 , 2 , 5 , 9 , 11 ]
Outlets reported the flight sequence as normal. Newsis said the first stage separated about 123 seconds after liftoff at an altitude of about 67 km, and that the payload fairing separated about 233 seconds after liftoff at an altitude of about 224 km. Yonhap also reported first-stage and fairing separation. Yonhap and Hankook Ilbo reported that the second stage engine stopped and the stage separated before satellite deployment began at an altitude of about 570 km. Newsis said the first cluster satellite, NEONSAT 2, separated about 810 seconds after liftoff, with NEONSAT 3-6 to follow at 35-40 second intervals. [ 3 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 10 , 11 ]
In a briefing, project director Park Jong-chan said 14 of the 15 satellites separated normally and that one cube satellite, Persat-02, did not separate, according to Newsis. Newsis reported that the rocket sent a normal separation signal to Persat-02 but that the article text was cut off at that point. [ 1 ]
Asia Economy reported that the flight ended by about 12:50 p.m. and that a summary of the launch results was to be released at 1 p.m. Yonhap carried the same expected timing for the results announcement. [ 12 , 13 ]
Asia Economy reported the mission background: the five NEONSAT satellites are to adjust their spacing over about two to three months to form a cluster able to photograph the Korean peninsula more than three times a day and re-observe the same area within 24 hours, for use in disasters such as wildfires and floods and in marine and security work. A further five satellites would complete a 10-satellite cluster on the sixth launch, it said. [ 9 ]
The same outlet reported that Hanwha Aerospace, the system integration company, took part in this launch with 42 personnel, up from 32 on the fourth launch, staffing 20 of 22 launch vehicle consoles. From the sixth launch it is to assemble stages at its own forging and assembly plant, ship them by sea and handle final vehicle assembly on site, with the goal of leading launches from the eighth. Researchers quoted by Asia Economy framed repeated launches as a step toward performing national space missions and eventually offering commercial launch services. [ 9 ]
Why it matters
The launch continues South Korea's effort to put nationally developed payloads into orbit and, per one outlet's reporting, to move from rocket development toward a commercial launch service. The documents describe the five NEONSAT satellites as intended to operate as a cluster for disaster, marine and security observation, with a further five to be added on the sixth launch.
Key facts
- Nuri lifted off at 12:25 p.m. local time on Oct 7 from the Naro Space Center in Goheung. [ 1 , 2 , 5 , 9 , 11 ]
- The rocket carried 15 satellites: five ultra-small cluster satellites (NEONSAT 2-6) and 10 cube satellites. [ 1 , 2 , 9 , 11 ]
- The first stage separated about 123 seconds after liftoff at an altitude of about 67 km. [ 3 , 5 ]
- The payload fairing separated about 233 seconds after liftoff at an altitude of about 224 km. [ 6 , 7 , 11 ]
- The first NEONSAT satellite separated about 810 seconds after liftoff, with the others to follow at 35-40 second intervals. [ 10 ]
- Project director Park Jong-chan said 14 of 15 satellites separated normally and that Persat-02 did not separate. [ 1 ]
- A summary of the launch results was scheduled to be released at 1 p.m. [ 12 , 13 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Nuri launched from the Naro Space Center in Goheung at 12:25 p.m. on Oct 7 with 15 satellites aboard. [ 1 , 2 , 5 , 9 , 11 ]
- The rocket's first stage separated, the payload fairing separated, and the second stage separated during ascent. [ 3 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 11 ]
- A launch result summary was to be made public at 1 p.m. [ 12 , 13 ]
Still unclear
- Whether all 15 satellites reached orbit. A summary of the launch results had not been published in the documents; outlets reported the flight sequence as normal but the final outcome was still pending.
- The status of the cube satellite Persat-02, which did not separate. Reported only by one outlet, and its article text on the satellite's separation is cut off mid-sentence.
- How many cube satellites were aboard and how many separated. The same outlet's headline referred to 14 cube satellites reaching orbit, while its article text said 10 cube satellites were carried and 14 of 15 satellites in total separated.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Nuri lifts off from the Naro Space Center carrying 15 satellites. [ 1 , 2 , 5 , 9 , 11 ]
- First stage separates about 123 seconds after liftoff at an altitude of about 67 km. [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- Payload fairing separates about 233 seconds after liftoff at an altitude of about 224 km. [ 6 , 7 ]
- Second stage engine stops and the second stage separates. [ 8 ]
- NEONSAT 2 separates about 810 seconds after liftoff as the cluster satellites are deployed. [ 10 ]
- Nuri's flight ends. [ 13 ]
- Summary of the launch results scheduled to be made public. [ 12 , 13 ]