Nuri rocket successfully deploys 15 satellites
Summary
The Nuri rocket successfully lifted off from the Naro Space Center in Goheung at 12:25 p.m. Wednesday and deployed 15 satellites into their target orbit. At around 12:40 p.m., it sequentially released five NEONSAT microsatellites and 10 CubeSats at an altitude of 570 kilometers. KASA said the satellites appeared to have deployed normally while a detailed telemetry analysis continued.
Key Facts
- The rocket separated its first stage about two minutes after liftoff and its second stage about four and a half minutes into the flight.
- KAIST oversaw development of the five NEONSAT satellites, each weighing less than 100 kilograms.
- NEONSAT satellites can capture images with a ground resolution of 1 meter in black and white and 4 meters in color.
- Five additional NEONSAT satellites are scheduled to launch aboard Nuri’s sixth mission in 2027.
- Once all 10 satellites are operational, the constellation will be able to image the Korean Peninsula at least three times a day and revisit locations within 24 hours during emergencies.
The Nuri rocket lifts off at the second launchpad of the Naro Space Center in Goheung, Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Metropolitan City, Wednesday. Courtesy of Korea Aerospace Research Institute
The Nuri rocket successfully lifted off in its fifth launch and deployed 15 satellites into their target orbit, Wednesday.
The rocket lifted off from the second launch pad at the Naro Space Center in Goheung, Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Metropolitan City, at 12:25 p.m. and completed its roughly 20-minute flight at around 12:45 p.m.
The rocket separated its first stage about two minutes after liftoff, followed by the second stage about four and a half minutes into the flight. At around 12:40 p.m., it reached an altitude of 570 kilometers and completed the sequential deployment of five NEONSAT swarm microsatellites, its primary payload, and 10 CubeSats.
The flight ended at around 12:45 p.m. after the third stage completed its autopilot sequence.
"The Nuri rocket has been confirmed to have reached its target orbit in accordance with the planned flight sequence, and all five NEONSAT swarm microsatellites were separated in the planned order,” Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA) Administrator Oh Tae-seog said.
“Based on the satellite deployment process and flight status confirmed so far, the satellites appear to have been deployed normally as planned. We are now conducting a detailed analysis of telemetry data to make a final assessment of the Nuri’s mission performance.”
The Nuri rocket lifts off at the second launchpad of the Naro Space Center in Goheung, Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Metropolitan City, Wednesday. Courtesy of Korea Aerospace Research Institute
The Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST) oversaw the development of the five NEONSAT satellites. Each is an Earth observation satellite weighing less than 100 kilograms, designed to capture high-resolution images with a ground resolution of 1 meter in black and white and 4 meters in color.
Five additional satellites are scheduled to launch aboard Nuri on its sixth mission in 2027. Once the constellation of 10 mass-produced satellites is operational, it will be able to image the Korean Peninsula at least three times a day and revisit the same location within 24 hours in emergencies such as disasters.
The secondary payloads included missions to test technologies developed by private companies in the space environment.
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