Nuri set to shoot for the stars again on May 24

The third launch of Korea's domestically-developed Nuri rocket has been scheduled for May 24, the Science Ministry announced Tuesday, following the first in October 2021 and the second last June.

The first and second stages of Korea's space rocket Nuri are being assembled at the Naro Space Center in Goheung County, South Jeolla. [YONHAP]

The third launch of Korea's domestically-developed Nuri rocket has been scheduled for May 24, the Science Ministry announced Tuesday, following the first in October 2021 and the second last June.

Unlike during the first two test launches, the Nuri rocket, formally known as the Korea Space Launch Vehicle-II (KSLV-II), will carry an actual satellite with Earth observation capabilities, instead of a Performance Verification Satellite (PVSAT) or a dummy payload.

The Ministry of Science and ICT convened a launch management committee meeting on Tuesday during which it set the date for Nuri's third lift-off.

The launch window has been set from May 25 to 31, taking into consideration any possible schedule changes due to weather or on-site conditions on the day of the launch.

A total of eight practical satellites will be loaded onto the rocket for the upcoming launch, including seven CubeSats and one NEXTSat 2, which are being developed by a satellite research center at KAIST. NEXTSat 2 comes equipped with a small-sized synthetic aperture radar that can capture high-resolution images regardless of weather conditions.

A suitable amount of sunlight is needed for the radar to perform its mission, preferably during the morning or evening. As such, the launch time for Nuri was pushed back to 6:24 p.m., compared to the second launch time of 4 p.m., to ensure optimal mission performance.

The eight satellites that will be carried by Nuri are currently undergoing final environmental tests and are scheduled to be transported to the Naro Space Center in Goheung, South Jeolla, between May 1 and 2.

The assembly of Nuri's first and second stages have been completed, and only the assembly of the third stage, in which the satellites will be installed, remains. The third stage is scheduled to be assembled to the first and second stages in mid-May, after the satellites are installed.

Hanwha Aerospace will participate in the upcoming launch, as the company signed a technology transfer contract with the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) in December last year to run the Korea Space Launch Vehicle Advancement Program. The program will run through 2027 and aims to enhance the technological reliability of the Nuri rocket. Hanwha Aerospace will oversee the integration of the launch vehicle and manage suppliers for rocket parts through Nuri's next four test launches, including the upcoming launch in May.

“The third Nuri rocket launch is significant as it represents our first attempt to launch a practical-grade satellite, and it also marks the inaugural participation of a private rocket system integrator company,” First Vice Minister of Science and ICT Oh Tae-Seog said.

BY SEO JI-EUN [seo.jieun1@joongang.co.kr]