'Nuriho' Launch Delayed Until October Next Year... Development of 'Cheollian 3' Underway

The 18th National Space Committee Meeting Held
Nuriho Launch Postponed to the Second Half of Next Year
Development of Communication Satellite Cheollian 3 Begins

On the afternoon of the 28th, at the launch pad of Naro Space Center in Bongrae-myeon, Goheung-gun, Jeollanam-do, a test launch vehicle for the Korean launch vehicle Nuriho's engine emitted white smoke and soared into the sky. This engine test launch vehicle is designed to verify the performance of the 75-ton liquid engine used in the Korean launch vehicle 'Nuriho' and corresponds to the second stage of Nuriho, which consists of a total of three stages. The test launch vehicle is 25.8 meters long, has a maximum diameter of 2.6 meters, and weighs 52.1 tons. / Goheung = Photo by Joint Press Corps

[Asia Economy Reporter Junho Hwang] The launch schedule of the Korean-type launch vehicle 'Nuriho,' developed with domestic technology, has been postponed once again. The first launch has been rescheduled from February next year to October, and the second launch from October next year to May the following year. The government stated that this measure is to increase the likelihood of a successful launch, but controversy over the lack of technological capability is expected to flare up again.

The Third Postponement of the Main Nuriho Launch

Nuriho Stage 1

The Ministry of Science and ICT confirmed the 'Status and Future Plans for Korean-type Launch Vehicle Development' through the 18th National Space Committee and postponed the launch schedule of Nuriho. The first launch was delayed by 8 months, and the next launch was set 7 months later. This is already the third time the launch schedule has been delayed, including this time. The government stated, "We decided to adjust the launch date to increase the chances of success by accepting the opinions of the dedicated evaluation team." The dedicated evaluation team, composed of 15 experts from industry, academia, and research institutes, concluded after a comprehensive review of the future development schedule over three months since September that the launch schedule must be postponed to improve the success rate and ensure stable development.

The biggest challenge was the development of the first stage of the launch vehicle. The first stage is the part that must generate the greatest thrust in Nuriho, a three-stage launch vehicle designed to place a 1.5-ton satellite into low Earth orbit (600?850 km). It requires combining four 75-ton engines to produce about 300 tons of thrust, and the manufacturing process is complex and difficult. Through repeated disassembly and reassembly, they have now developed a certification model. Each stage of Nuriho is developed in the order of system development model, certification model, and flight model, and even developing the certification model took a significant amount of time. Additionally, once each stage is made, they must be assembled, which takes time, and considering the time needed for WDR (Wet Dress Rehearsal) to verify vehicle integrity in cryogenic conditions, the government explained that the launch schedule had to be postponed.

The Ministry of Science and ICT explained, "Nuriho development is the first independent domestic development project, and each time we face technical challenges, we solve problems and seek efficient development methods." They added, "Ahead of next year's main launch, researchers and related industries are dedicating themselves more than ever to development, and the government will actively support to achieve good results."

Cheollian 3 Development Plan Confirmed

Chollian 2B

Additionally, the government confirmed the plan for the geostationary orbit public multi-purpose communication satellite development project on the same day. This project aims to develop a communication satellite to be called 'Cheollian 3' in the future. Having passed the preliminary feasibility study in June, development is expected to start next year, with launch anticipated in 2027. The total budget required is 411.8 billion KRW.

Notably, this satellite will carry three types of communication payloads developed domestically with overseas consultation. Once launched into space, this satellite will inherit the Ka-band orbital frequency used by Cheollian 1 and utilize it for mission operations. Cheollian 1 is a communication satellite currently in extended use. The body of the satellite under development is based on the achievements of Cheollian satellites 2A and 2B, applying an electric propulsion system and a high-performance GNSS receiver. Although electric propulsion provides less thrust than chemical propulsion, it reduces the amount of chemical fuel carried, thereby increasing the payload capacity of the satellite body. The GNSS receiver significantly reduces satellite position errors, which is advantageous for communication with the ground and avoidance of space debris.

The Ministry of Science and ICT stated, "This satellite will support disaster safety response such as flood monitoring, coast guard activity support, and emergency communication in disaster areas," and "It will also provide GPS position correction signals and serve as a testbed for future satellite communication technologies."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.