Nuri (launch vehicle)

2022: Putting the satellite into orbit

June 21, 2022 South Korea on a rocket of its own design for the first time managed to bring satellites into space. It became the seventh country in the world capable of launching a satellite weighing 1 ton or more into orbit, joining,,,, and USA Russia France. To China Japan India

The launch came after the country's previous attempt ended in failure in October 2021, when South Korea launched its first domestic rocket, but the satellite did not enter orbit as planned after separating from the rocket.

South Korea becomes the seventh country in the world with satellites in orbit

Since 2010, South Korea has invested about $1.8 billion in the project. Missile launches in 2009 and 2010 ended in failures. In 2013, the country for the first time in its history launched a rocket into space, but the engine of its first stage was built in Russia.

In June 2022, the 200-ton Nuri liquid fuel rocket launched from the Naro Space Center in Kohyn from the province of Jeolla Namdo. After reaching a target altitude of 700 km, the liquid fuel rocket launched a satellite into orbit of 162.5 km. This operation was necessary for scientists to check the operability of a 1.3-ton satellite layout, the South Korean Ministry of Science said.

{{quote 'The way to the Universe from our homeland is now open! The presidential administration will provide full support to future space development programs by creating a new state institution. To look millions of years ago, you don't need a time machine, just raise your head and look at the stars. Light from some zvedas reaches our land in millions of years, "said South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol. }} South Korean Science Minister Lee Jung-ho said the government plans to improve technical reliability and stability through four additional launches by 2027. In June 2022, the development of a feasibility study for its successor began due to the fact that in 2031 the country intends to send its own lander to the moon.^[1]

2021: Launch of the launch vehicle

On October 21, 2021, the first launch vehicle of its own production was launched in South Korea. It launched from the Naro cosmodrome in the province of Jeolla Namdo. A rocket called Nuri successfully entered orbit and separated the model of the payload, but it failed to launch an artificial satellite weighing 1.5 tons into orbit.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who oversaw the launch on site, still called the test an excellent achievement that takes the country one step further in implementing the satellite launch program.

The country's science minister, Lim Hyo-suk, said Nuri's first and second stages separated correctly, while the third stage threw away a 1.5-ton stainless steel and aluminum payload 700 km above Earth. But, according to her, the launch data suggests that the third stage engine burned out ahead of time, after 475 seconds, which is about 50 seconds shorter than the planned time, and could not in turn provide the payload with sufficient speed for the next stage in the form of stabilization in orbit.

South Korea launches its first Nuri launch vehicle into space

Representatives of the Korea Institute of Aerospace Research (KARI) have announced that they plan to form an inspection commission in the near future to analyze what went wrong and outline adjustments before the next test launch of the rocket. Although the launch was initially delayed by an hour as engineers took longer to inspect the rocket's valves. Separately, concerns were also noted that strong winds and other conditions could create problems for a successful launch.

Given that the launch did not meet its goals, it was a great achievement for the first launch. The separation of rockets, fairings and a dummy satellite went smoothly. All this was done based entirely on our technology, "said South Korean President Moon Jae-in.

The state invested about $1.7 billion in the creation of its own rocket, about 300 South Korean companies took part in the project.

Nuri is the country's first space launch vehicle, created entirely using South Korea's domestic technologies. The three-stage rocket is powered by five 75-ton rocket engines mounted on the first and second stages. Raketa carrier is designed to deliver 1.5-tons of payload to an orbit 600-800 km above the Earth. Scientists and engineers at KARI plan to test Nuri several more times, including another launch with a mannequin in May 2022 before embarking on tests with a real satellite.

As of October 21, 2021, South Korea does not have its own military satellites, so it has to rely on American spacecraft to monitor North Korea. South Korean authorities have expressed hope for the launch until 2024 of low-orbit military surveillance satellites of domestic production using their own solid-fuel missiles.^[2]

Notes