Home > Business > Industry

KASA says the Nuri's main satellite operating without issue

Published: 11 Dec. 2025, 16:27 Updated: 14 Dec. 2025, 20:47

Korea’s Nuri rocket lifts off for its fourth launch from the Naro Space Center in Goheung County, South Jeolla, on Nov. 27. [KIM KYOUNG-ROK]

The main satellite launched by Korea’s Nuri rocket is continuing its early-stage operations in orbit and preparing for full scientific observation missions.

The Korea AeroSpace Administration said on Thursday that the spacecraft’s main payload, the next-generation medium-sized satellite CAS500-3, has operated without issue for about two weeks.

The satellite carries three payloads: Rokits, a camera to observe auroras and other atmospheric light and study weather phenomena, developed by the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute; BioCabinet, a stem cell research module from Hallym University; and Iammap, a plasma and magnetic field instrument developed by the KAIST Satellite Technology Research Center.

During the initial system checks, Rokits was successful in capturing its first test images, producing high-resolution terrain pictures from a distance of more than 700 kilometers (435 miles). The instrument will collect data needed to forecast space weather, including measurements of energy entering Earth's atmosphere during aurora events.

BioCabinet established a stable internal environment that supports the survival of stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells in microgravity. The research team then conducted the first 3-D bioprinting task, which creates research outputs with a 3-D printer by communicating with the ground station.

The system aims to demonstrate that cell culture and 3-D bioprinting are possible in space, laying groundwork for autonomous space life science research despite limited resources.

Iammap also completed its test observations. During the early operations period, the instrument analyzed changes in plasma and magnetic field conditions in the ionosphere — the upper layer of Earth’s atmosphere where gas molecules become ionized and which shifts markedly between day and night and as the satellite passes over polar regions — to determine the optimal conditions for observations.

The team aims to determine the optimal conditions for observations. Based on these results, Iammap will begin mapping global distributions of space plasma and magnetic fields as they evolve with seasonal changes.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY EO HWAN-HEE [[email protected]]