Nuri rocket successfully launches with 15 satellites

Korea’s homegrown Nuri space rocket lifted off from the Naro Space Center in Goheung County, Jeonnam-Gwangju, at 12:25 p.m. on Wednesday with 15 satellites aboard.

Launch preparations proceeded smoothly, and Nuri lifted off at the time announced earlier that morning by the Korea AeroSpace Administration.

Nuri separated its first stage about two minutes after liftoff and jettisoned its payload fairing, which protects the satellites, about four minutes into the flight. The second stage separated about 4 minutes and 30 seconds after launch. Flying on its third-stage engine, Nuri then reached its target orbit at 12:37 p.m., 12 minutes after liftoff.

The projected splashdown points for the first stage, fairing and second stage are about 396 kilometers (246 miles), 1,587 kilometers and 2,667 kilometers from the launch site, respectively. Nuri passed an altitude of 300 kilometers and was confirmed to be on its planned trajectory.

Nuri is carrying five New-space Earth Observation Satellite Constellation for National Safety (Neonsat) microsatellites, numbered 2 through 6, and 10 CubeSats.

Once in orbit at an altitude of 570 kilometers, the rocket released the five microsatellites one at a time at intervals of 35 to 40 seconds, starting with Neonsat-2. To keep the satellites from colliding, Nuri changed its attitude before each release so they would separate in different directions. A low-shock separation system, designed to reduce the jolt of separation, was used on Nuri for the first time to make this possible.

The CubeSats were released two at a time every 10 seconds. Each has its own mission, including testing Korean-made components and parts in space, monitoring fine dust and conducting drug experiments in the space environment. Nuri completed its flight about 20 minutes after launch.

BY SHIN HYE-YEON [[email protected]]