The launch of a North Korean satellite at the end of April 2023 brought the entire world to a standstill, but the South is also competing in the space race, and the author is paying close attention to the progress of the “Nuri” and “Tanuri” programs.
A 200-ton South Korea’s KSLV-2 space launch vehicle, also known as Nuri, was launched on June 21, 2022, from the Naro Space Center in Goheung-gun, Jeollanam-do Province. The ROK thus became the seventh country in the world, after Russia, the United States, France, China, Japan and India, to launch a satellite weighing more than one ton into space, on its own. The next launch of Nuri was scheduled for the first half of 2023, and until then Seoul announced its very ambitious plans to create a space command and build de facto dual-purpose missiles.
The next step in the development of South Korea’s space program is the third launch of the three-stage Nuri-ho rocket with a total weight of 200 tons and a payload of eight satellites of various types (the second small satellite of next generation NEXTSAT-2, four nano-satellites SNIPE developed by the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI) and three private satellites: the JAC by Korean engineering company Justek Inc., the LUMIR-T1 by local space firm Lumir Inc., and the KSAT3U by startup Kairospace Co.
Since 2010, South Korea has invested nearly 2 trillion won ($1.8 billion) in the construction of Nuri. The project was carried out using domestic technology on its own premises, including design, manufacturing, testing and commissioning. The first launch of Nuri took place in 2021. The rocket then achieved the desired altitude of 700 kilometers, but was unable to orbit the model satellite because the third stage engine failed earlier than anticipated. Nuri-ho successfully deployed dummy satellites at a target altitude of 700 kilometers during the second launch in 2022. Now it’s time to put not dummy satellites into orbit, but real ones.
On May 23, Nuri-ho was mounted on the launch pad. The launch was scheduled for 6:24 p.m. on May 24, and President Yoon Suk-yeol was scheduled to watch it live from the president’s office along with his aides, representatives from the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI), and students interested in space science.
However, the launch was delayed due to a technical problem. A member of the launch preparation committee reported that there was a communication breakdown between the rocket’s computers and the flight control center prior to the rocket being refueled with fuel and oxidizer, which was scheduled to start at 3:40 p.m.
Not for the first time—the 2022 launch was also delayed by five days due to a technical failure in the rocket’s oxidizer tank sensor. In addition, this time the failure was quickly eliminated without returning the rocket to the facility, and the launch date was postponed by one day. The ROK media and international experts perceived this as a working point, although in the case of North Korea, comparable issues frequently serve as a pretext for yet another round of discussions about defective technology or dictatorial leadership,
Congratulations could be given to South Korean missile engineers on May 25. The launch proceeded as planned. The first stage departed at an altitude of 64.5 km after 125 seconds of flight. The second stage separated at an altitude of 258 km, the satellites also separated normally and reached their orbits.
Science Minister Lee Jong-ho said during a post-launch briefing that the launch was completely successful. The Nuri launch vehicle flew as planned, managing to put all satellites into orbit and the main satellite NEXTSAT-2 made its first contact with the Korean station in Antarctica. “Following the success of the second launch of Nuri last year and the third launch today, we have confirmed the flight performance of Nuri, not only confirming the reliability of Nuri, but also confirming our potential for launch services for various satellite operations and space exploration.”
The official stated that while it will take some time to collect and analyze all of the data and information from the satellites, the launch was deemed a success. However, journalists pointed out that the information from one satellite has not yet been received, and its successful operation has not been confirmed. The minister acknowledged this, claiming that the camera’s blind spot prevented the satellite from being seen, but this has not yet been verified.
The successful launch of the space rocket, which marked South Korea’s admittance into the Group of Seven Space Powers, was also praised by Yoon Suk-yeol, who called it an outstanding achievement. “The world’s perspective on the Republic of Korea’s space science and technology, and its cutting-edge industry, will change greatly,” he said. The ROK president congratulated the Korea Aerospace Research Institute, Hanwha Aerospace, Korea Aerospace Industries, researchers and technicians on their hard work.
Five of the eight satellites, including the second small satellite NEXTSAT-2, the “main payload” of the launch vehicle which will monitor the Earth and space radiation for the next two years while performing 15 rotations around the globe every day, were in two-way communication with ground stations as of May 26. Two of the four SNIPE satellites, as well as one of the three commercial satellites built by the private company Lumir, were unable to connect.
What happens next? South Korea plans to execute three more Nuri rocket launches by 2027 as part of an effort to further advance the country’s rocket and space program. Meanwhile, Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), which has played an important role in South Korea’s recent space projects, intends to enter the global market for large satellite vehicles weighing 500 kg to three tons. The KAI Space Center, which opened in August 2020, is capable of simultaneously building six satellites weighing 1.5 tons and employing more than 500 scientists.
So, an important step has been taken in the space race, but the following should be remembered:
- The right to space exploration for peaceful purposes should be available to all.
- Having developed technology for formally peaceful missile construction makes it much easier to extend it into military domain.
- Describing North and South Korea’s space race, there can be no double standards.
Konstantin Asmolov, PhD in History, leading research fellow at the Center for Korean Studies of the Institute of China and Modern Asia at the Russian Academy of Sciences, exclusively for the online magazine “New Eastern Outlook.”
