Space agency chief says preparations for 5th Nuri launch on track

Korea's space chief, Oh Tae-seok, has stated that the preparations for the fifth launch of the domestically developed Nuri rocket are on track for a launch scheduled for October 7 at the Naro Space Center in Goheung, South Korea. During a press conference with reporters, the Korea Aerospace Administration (KASA) administrator emphasized that no significant issues have arisen thus far in the preparations.

The Nuri rocket will carry an impressive 15 satellites, including five forming part of the country's inaugural domestically launched microsatellite constellation. These satellites are primarily composed of five New-space Earth Observation Satellite Constellations for National Safety (NEONSAT) satellites, serving as the main payload, alongside 10 CubeSats acting as secondary payloads.

Oh Tae-seok underlined that a crucial challenge lies in the precise deployment of these 15 satellites from the launch vehicle and their subsequent positioning into their respective designated orbits. The capability to launch satellites into various orbits is considered a key capability for commercial launch services, underscoring the importance of successfully executing this task.