[Nuri Rocket 4th Launch] ① From Naro Failure to Nuri Success: 16 Years of Tears and Triumph

The First Test of the Korea Aerospace Administration Era...
Questioning the Direction of Korea’s Space Policy After Achieving Technological Independence

The history of developing a Korean launch vehicle is a record of repeated failures and challenges over the past 16 years, ultimately leading to technological achievement.

The failed first launch of the Naro rocket in 2009 starkly revealed the reality of Korea’s space technology. The experiences of flight suspension in 2010 and the successful third launch in 2013 made it even clearer that Korea urgently needed to secure its own independent launch technology.

This sense of urgency led directly to the development of the Korean launch vehicle (KSLV-II), Nuri. Since development began in 2010, there have been numerous technical challenges, including combustion instability in the 75-ton-class engine, a lack of test facilities, and repeated ground combustion tests.

However, with the partial success of the first launch in 2021, the successful second launch in 2022, and the third launch carrying practical satellites in 2023, Korea has finally entered the era of independent launch vehicles. These 13 years have been an essential period of accumulation for technological independence, and now, with the fourth launch, Korea faces the next set of questions.

The First Official Test for the Korea Aerospace Administration Era

The Korea Aerospace Administration, established in May this year, is facing its first official test with the fourth launch. As the launch vehicle development and operation system, previously managed by the Korea Aerospace Research Institute, transitions to the policy-driven Korea Aerospace Administration, this launch is not only about technical verification but also about assessing whether the new space governance structure is ready to operate.

Going forward, the Korea Aerospace Administration will oversee the nation’s mid- to long-term space roadmap, including lunar lander development, reusable launch vehicles, and the establishment of the Korean Positioning System (KPS), thereby determining the direction of Korea’s space policy. The fourth launch will serve as the first stage to demonstrate the feasibility of these strategies.

Yoon Youngbin, Administrator of the Korea Aerospace Administration, stated, "The technological independence achieved through the Nuri rocket is not the end, but the beginning," adding, "From now on, the nation must set clear goals for what space capabilities it will build." Lee Sangcheol, President of the Korea Aerospace Research Institute, also emphasized, "Nuri is the first gateway to the Korean launch vehicle system, and from now on, it is crucial to establish a stable launch cycle."

Why Is the Fourth Launch Important Again?

The fourth launch of the Nuri rocket marks the first attempt at a dawn and nighttime launch in Korea’s launch vehicle history. To match the launch window for the sun-synchronous orbit (SSO), a time around 1 a.m. was chosen. This is a highly complex mission that requires simultaneous management of various variables such as weather conditions, upper-level winds, engine thermal environment, and launch pad operations.

While the basic performance of the launch vehicle remains the same as the third launch, the mission profile (flight configuration) has changed, resulting in a longer flight time and a significant increase in the number of satellites to be separated, now totaling 13. This means that Nuri has moved beyond the simple structure of launching a single satellite and is now entering the stage of testing its ability to carry out complex mission operations.

The next challenge facing the Korean launch vehicle is not just simple success, but "how reliably and efficiently" it can be launched. The accumulation of flight data through repeated launches, the establishment of a stable launch cycle, and the entry of private companies into commercial launch services are all connected to this issue.

Professor Ahn Jaemyoung of the Department of Aerospace Engineering at KAIST explains, "The reliability of a launch vehicle can only be secured through repeated launches." He also stated, "The reason why global commercial launch vehicles have a success rate of over 90% is that they have accumulated operational know-how and cost-saving experience through numerous flights."

Professor Ahn further analyzed, "Nuri has a payload capacity of over 1.5 tons for sun-synchronous orbit, so the fourth mission has some performance margin. Since the technical performance competition has already reached a certain level, from now on, the ability to stably operate the launch vehicle for various mission profiles will become even more important."

He points to "cost" as the most realistic issue facing the Korean launch vehicle. "Currently, the launch cost per kilogram for Nuri is not competitive compared to the global market," he emphasized, "After achieving technological independence, the core task Korea must solve is an industrialization strategy that simultaneously improves both reliability and cost."

Nuri rocket heading to space. Photo by The Asia Business Daily

"What Should We Do Next?"

The Nuri rocket is a symbolic achievement proving that Korea has secured its own launch vehicle technology. However, if securing the technology is the end, the next step is "strategic choice."

Reusable launch vehicle technology, lunar and planetary exploration, space situational awareness (SSA) infrastructure, a private-sector-led space industry structure, and a stable launch cycle are all factors that will determine the direction of Korea’s space policy over the next decade.

Professor Ahn stated, "The success of Nuri is not the end, but the beginning of new questions," adding, "Now is the time for Korea to decide what space capabilities it will build and what missions it will undertake."

The fourth launch of the Nuri rocket is more than just a launch event; it is the first test of what future Korea’s space policy will choose after achieving technological independence. Sixteen years of achievement now stand before the demand to design a new space strategy.

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