Global Courant 2023-05-25 18:30:00
SEOUL — South Korea said Thursday it had successfully launched its own Nuri rocket and delivered working satellites into orbit, a major step forward for the country’s burgeoning space program.
It was the third launch of the Nuri, which successfully launched test satellites into orbit in 2022 after a failed attempt in 2021 caused the rocket’s third stage engine to burn out prematurely.
The three-stage rocket, more than 47 meters long and weighing 200 tons, lifted off at 6:24 p.m. (5:24 p.m. Singapore time) from the Naro Space Center in South Korea’s southern coastal region, leaving a huge trail of white smoke.
“We report to the public that the third launch of Nuri, which was independently developed to secure domestic space transportation capability, has been successfully completed,” said Mr. Lee Jong-ho, Minister of Science and Technology.
The main satellite was communicating with South Korea’s King Sejong Station in Antarctica, he said, adding that the launch “confirmed our potential for launch services for various satellite operations and space exploration.”
South Korea will conduct three more launches from Nuri by 2027, Lee added.
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol praised Nuri’s launch, saying it will give the country a competitive edge in the global space race.
“The success of Nuri’s third launch is a great achievement that explains South Korea’s joining of the G-7 space forces,” he said in a statement.
The launch came a day after the original plans were called off due to a computer communications error, which was resolved on Thursday.
In previous tests, the missile carried payloads designed primarily to verify the launcher’s performance.
This time, the rocket was crowned with eight working satellites, including a “commercial satellite,” according to the Science Ministry.
More than 200,000 viewers watched the live stream of the launch on YouTube, with one commenting: “Fly high Nuri! Let’s go to space!”
