[Nuriho 3rd Launch] '14-Hour Overnight' Repairs... Relaunch Scheduled Today at 6:24 PM (Comprehensive)

The third launch of Korea's space launch vehicle Nuriho will resume at 6:24 PM on the 25th. It was a simple software error in the ground facilities of the launch pad, not the vehicle itself, so it was quickly fixed.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Oh Tae-seok, the 1st Vice Minister of the Ministry of Science and ICT, announced this at a press conference held at 11:50 AM at the briefing room of Naro Space Center in Goheung-gun, Jeollanam-do.

The third launch of Nuriho was originally scheduled for 6:24 PM the previous day. All factors including weather, technical preparations, and space object conditions were met. However, around 3 PM, about three hours before the launch, a problem occurred when the decompression valve of the helium supply system in the ground facilities failed to operate due to a communication error between control systems. As a result, the Ministry of Science and ICT and KARI canceled the launch and began emergency repairs.

KARI technicians found through emergency inspection that the problem was caused by an error in the internal command and control system (PLC) of the launch pad control system. The intervals between commands were too narrow, causing collisions, so they carried out modifications to widen the intervals. KARI completed the corrections after 14 hours of overnight work in the early morning and confirmed normal operation through six tests.

After comprehensively reviewing the inspection and repair results, weather conditions, and the possibility of collision with space objects, the Ministry of Science and ICT decided to attempt the launch again at around 6:24 PM that day.

Vice Minister Oh said, "The Nuriho vehicle is standing on the launch pad while work is in progress, and the payloads are also in good condition, confirming that launch is possible in the current state," adding, "There were no issues with weather conditions or the possibility of collision with space objects." Currently, the probability of precipitation around Naro Island is below 20%, with no clouds, indicating stable weather conditions. The wind is favorable with ground wind speeds of 2 to 5 m/s, and upper-level winds meet safety standards. The possibility of lightning is also low.

Going forward, Nuriho will begin launch operation procedures at 12:24 PM. Fuel and oxidizer charging will start around 3:40 PM, charging will be completed by 5:40 PM, the erecting device will be removed at 5:54 PM, automatic operation mode will switch at 6:14 PM, and engine ignition and liftoff are planned for 6:24 PM. Whether the launch succeeds depends on reaching 550 km about 19 minutes (1,138 seconds) later and properly deploying the payloads, which include the next-generation small satellite No. 2, four Doyosat satellites, and three private CubeSats. An official announcement is expected around 7:40 PM.

Experts believe the success probability is high since the vehicle was manufactured identically to the one that succeeded in the second launch. The helium tank fixing device defect that caused problems during the first launch in 2021 has been corrected during the manufacturing of the third launch vehicle. Also, the abnormality in the measurement sensor that caused a malfunction during the second launch in June 2022 has been supplemented to be filtered out through inspection procedures.

Vice Minister Oh said, "We will thoroughly prepare and inspect until the launch to do our best for a successful launch."

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