South Korea’s homegrown space rocket Nuri blasts off from Naro Space Center in Goheung, South Jeolla Province, on May 25, 2023. (Image courtesy of the Korea Aerospace Research Institute)
SEOUL, Oct. 13 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea has officially begun preparations for the next launch of homegrown space rocket Nuri aiming to send a next-generation medium-sized satellite into space in the second half of 2025, the state space institute said Friday.
Along with officials from the science ministry, related authorities and companies, the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) held a kickoff meeting to discuss and share the preparation process and other basic elements of the space project, according to KARI.
KARI said Hanwha Aerospace Co., in charge of the space rocket project, started manufacturing parts for Nuri in May, and the first, second and third stages of the rocket will be put together starting in the second half of next year.
If preparations go well, the fourth launch of Nuri will take place in the second half of 2025, KARI said.
In May, South Korea successfully completed the third launch of the 200-ton Nuri, also known as KSLV-II, putting eight practical satellites into orbit, following the success of the second liftoff in 2022.
Nuri’s fourth launch is in line with KARI’s efforts to further upgrade the country’s space rocket program.
For the upgrade project worth 687.3 billion won (US$509.1 million), Hanwha Aerospace, the aerospace business unit of chemical-to-financial conglomerate Hanwha Group, will lead the mission with KARI as part of the Korean government’s long-term plan to transfer the space technologies to the private sector.
(Yonhap)
