[Nuriho 3rd Launch] 'Overnight Repairs' Underway... Announcement on Morning Retry Decision

Launch canceled on the afternoon of the 24th due to ground equipment failure
Announcement on whether to retry launch on the morning of the 25th expected

The third launch of Korea's space launch vehicle Nuriho is undergoing overnight repairs due to a ground facility malfunction, and attention is focused on the announcement scheduled for the morning of the 25th regarding whether the launch will be attempted again.

The Ministry of Science and ICT and the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) canceled the third Nuriho launch, which was scheduled for 6:24 PM the previous day, and have been conducting overnight repairs. This was because around 3 PM, about three hours before the launch, it was discovered that the communication network between ground facilities to operate the helium tank valve inside the vehicle was not functioning. It was confirmed that the issue was not a mechanical problem with the valve itself but a communication problem between the launch control computer and the launch pad control computer. Although the valve can be operated manually, a malfunction could occur in the automatic operation mode that starts 10 minutes before launch. Accordingly, KARI halted the fuel and oxidizer loading operations scheduled to begin at 3:40 PM. Subsequently, the Ministry of Science and ICT held a launch management committee meeting, canceled the scheduled launch, and decided to investigate the cause and proceed with repairs.

Fortunately, it is reported that the problem is not serious, and an announcement on whether the launch will be retried is expected this morning. The fact that Nuriho was kept upright while undergoing repairs is itself hopeful. During the second launch last year, a sensor malfunction occurred, which was a structural problem requiring the vehicle to be transported back to the assembly building for repairs, causing significant delays. In contrast, since this issue is a communication malfunction between ground facilities rather than a vehicle problem, repairs can be made while Nuriho remains on the launch pad, saving time. It is also noted that the problem is due to a software defect, so attention is focused on whether the manufacturer and KARI engineers can supplement it through overnight repairs.

The Ministry of Science and ICT and KARI plan to hold another launch management committee meeting this morning to decide whether to retry the launch as soon as they assess the repair status. Originally, Nuriho’s launch was scheduled for the 24th, but a backup period from the 25th to the 31st was also set. If a launch retry is decided, the time is expected to be the same as the previous day, 6:24 PM.

However, the satellites loaded in the third stage cargo bay of Nuriho pose a variable. Since these are very sensitive devices, if the upright state is prolonged, phenomena such as malfunctions caused by gravity, battery discharge, temperature, and humidity may occur. However, the main payload, the next-generation small satellite No. 2, is reported to be able to endure for about a week, and other CubeSats are said to be able to remain onboard even longer without major issues.

At a briefing the previous day, Ko Jung-hwan, head of the Korea Launch Vehicle Development Project at KARI, said regarding the possibility of a launch retry today, "For now, it is important to identify the cause and make corrections," but also stated, "If repairs are successful, a launch retry will be possible."

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