Goheung:South Korea launched its domestically developed Nuri rocket on Wednesday, successfully placing 15 satellites into orbit during its fifth mission. This includes five satellites that will contribute to the country's first microsatellite constellation.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the 200-ton Nuri rocket lifted off from the Naro Space Center in Goheung, approximately 400 kilometers southwest of Seoul, at 12:25 p.m. The payload consisted of five New-space Earth Observation Satellite Constellation for National Safety (NEONSAT) microsatellites and 10 CubeSats.
The Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA) reported that Nuri successfully separated its first and second stages before deploying the satellites at an altitude of about 575 km. The NEONSATs, numbered 2 through 6, were released at intervals of 35 to 40 seconds, with the rocket's upper stage rotating 45 degrees between each separation to avoid collisions. The 10 CubeSats were released in pairs every 10 seconds.
After deploying all satellites, Nuri performed a collision-avoidance maneuver and vented its remaining fuel, concluding the flight approximately 20 minutes after liftoff. The rocket will remain in orbit before eventually reentering Earth's atmosphere.
The Korea Aerospace Research Institute is monitoring the flight from facilities in South Korea and Palau. This mission marks Nuri's first attempt at the sequential deployment of multiple primary satellites meant to carry out the same mission. The NEONSAT constellation, which will eventually include 10 satellites, aims to monitor the Korean Peninsula and surrounding regions for national security and disaster response purposes.
The NEONSATs, each weighing less than 100 kilograms, are equipped with electro-optical cameras capable of distinguishing objects as small as 1 meter in black-and-white and 4 meters in color. Once the constellation is fully operational, it will be able to image the Korean Peninsula more than three times a day, revisiting the same location within 24 hours. The completion of the constellation is planned with the launch of five additional satellites on Nuri's sixth flight next year.