The dream we shot flew through space

Minjun Son

2021. 10. 26

Image Source: Yonhap News

The space launch vehicle ‘Nuriho’(누리호, KSLV-II), made with pure Korean technology, succeeded in achieving its main goal in its first launch. It was a ’15-minute rehearsal’ where many people cheered and looked out into the distant universe.

It is a splendid achievement that the development of Korean space technology was widely known to the world by breaking the initial expectation of a 30% chance of success and succeeding in launching it after thorough preparations. With this successful launch, Korea has become the 7th country in the world to have the technology to launch artificial satellites into space at any time.

According to the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KAERI), the Nuri was launched from the second launch pad at the Naro Space Center. After 16 minutes and 7 seconds (967 seconds) after launch, it succeeded in achieving the main goal of isolating a satellite model (dummy satellite) from a solar geostationary orbit at an altitude of 700 km.

The secret to most of the launch goals being achieved in the first launch of the Nuri is that the Korean Air and Air Association and private companies have prepared everything for the successful launch over the past 11 years. In addition, by continuously simulating simulated launch situations, the possibility of problems occurring in real launches is minimized.

The Nuri-ho is a Korean-style launch vehicle developed by the government with a total investment of 1.95 trillion won since March 2010. The goal is to move satellites from the Earth’s surface to a fixed location in outer space. Unlike ‘Naro’, the previous launch vehicle, which was developed in cooperation with Russia, it is meaningful in that it is the first practical satellite space launch vehicle that the entire process of production and operation of the launch vehicle independently in Korea.

The completion of the Nuri-based independent space launch vehicle platform is expected to further revitalize the domestic space industry. In particular, private-led development of launch vehicles and satellites is expected to gain momentum.