Nuri Rocket, Repaired and Back on Launch Pad... Final Variable is 'Weather'

KARI "Second Launch Retry on the 21st"

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-su] South Korea's first indigenous space launch vehicle, 'Nuriho (KSLV-II),' began transportation to the launch pad on the 20th, one day before the second launch attempt. Unless there is a component failure, the only remaining variable is the weather, and as long as there is no heavy rain or strong high-altitude wind, there should be no major issues with the launch.

According to the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) on the 20th, Nuriho started moving around 7:20 a.m. from the assembly building at Naro Space Center in Goheung, Jeollanam-do, to the second launch pad about 1.8 km away. Nuriho was slowly transported for about an hour, then mounted and secured on the launch pad. In the afternoon, an umbilical connection for electricity and fuel supply and inspection will be conducted, followed by a final check. If there are no abnormalities, fueling with propellant and oxidizer will proceed the next morning, and the launch is scheduled for around 4 p.m.

The main variable is the weather. According to regulations, the weather conditions for Nuriho's launch are not very strict. The temperature range is from minus 10 degrees Celsius to 35 degrees Celsius, humidity below 98% (based on 25 degrees Celsius), and atmospheric pressure between 94.7 and 104 kPa. The most important factors are wind strength at ground level and high altitude, as well as precipitation. If ground wind is too strong, it poses significant risks to workers during transportation, installation, and inspection of the launch vehicle. If the average wind speed exceeds 15 m/s or the maximum instantaneous wind speed exceeds 21 m/s, safe work by launch personnel is practically impossible. The launch originally scheduled for the 15th was postponed by one day due to strong winds.

High-altitude wind is also a major consideration. Winds blowing above 10 km altitude significantly affect the vehicle's attitude, direction, and speed, so launches are only allowed when wind pressure is below 200 kPa. Lightning and clouds are also important. If thunderclouds are mixed within dense clouds, it is dangerous for the space launch vehicle that must pass through them. Rain can also be a significant variable. Although the launch vehicle itself is fully waterproofed, heavy rain increases the risk of the transport vehicle slipping or being impacted on wet roads. It also greatly hinders the technical staff's work during preparations.

The possibility of collision with space objects is another key check. From the moment of liftoff until one orbit cycle after entering orbit, the launch vehicle must maintain a minimum distance of 200 km from manned spacecraft, with a two-minute buffer before and after close approaches. The intensity of solar activity such as sunspot explosions, solar particle influx, and geomagnetic disturbances must also be considered. These are classified from levels 0 to 5, and launches are inevitably suspended at the highest risk levels 4 and 5. This is because communication between satellites and launch vehicles becomes difficult, electronic equipment may malfunction, or orbital errors may occur.

Currently, the Goheung Peninsula area where Naro Space Center is located is forecasted to be cloudy on the 20th and rainy on the launch day.

Meanwhile, the second launch of Nuriho was originally scheduled for the 15th but postponed to the 16th due to strong winds. However, after an inspection on the afternoon of the previous day, an abnormality was found in the oxidizer tank sensor, leading to a further postponement to the 21st. If repairs had been difficult, the delay could have extended for more than a month. On the 17th, KARI technicians and the Ministry of Science and ICT announced that after replacing only the core component without separating stages 1 and 2, normal operation was confirmed, and a reattempted launch was scheduled for the 21st.

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