Image to help understand the article
All Cube Satellites Reach Ground Contact After Nuri Launch
All nine cube satellites deployed by South Korea’s fifth Nuri rocket launch have successfully established communication with ground stations, with the final satellite, DaejeonSat 1, confirming two-way communication early Thursday, according to Daejeon city officials.
DaejeonSat 1 first sent a signal during the sixth communication attempt at around 11:20 p.m. on Wednesday. At 12:46 a.m. Thursday, the seventh attempt confirmed that the satellite and ground station could exchange signals in both directions. The satellite had already entered its intended orbit, but earlier communication attempts had failed.
Officials had identified possible early communication problems involving satellite positioning angles, radio frequency interference and ground station noise. After contact was restored, engineers checked key systems including the battery, attitude control, whether the optical camera was facing Earth, rotational speed and GPS signal reception. Daejeon said the satellite’s major functions were operating normally.
Local Korean Technology Reaches Orbit
DaejeonSat 1 was developed by the city of Daejeon with five local space companies: Steplab, CSO, EPSTEC, MID and Contec. The satellite carries components produced by regional companies, including an electro-optical camera, solar panels, power control equipment and space-grade memory.
Once operations become stable, the satellite is expected to begin full missions including operation of its selfie camera and Earth observation activities. Daejeon officials said the successful communication marked a milestone for local companies seeking opportunities in the global space industry.
Nuri Sets New Record for Satellite Deployment
South Korea launched the Nuri rocket from the Naro Space Center on Tuesday at 12:25 p.m. The mission carried 15 satellites, the largest number transported by the country’s domestically developed launch vehicle. The previous record was 13 satellites during the fourth Nuri launch less than a year earlier.
The rocket released five 100-kilogram-class cluster satellites at an altitude of 576 kilometers about 13 minutes after launch. Nine cube satellites were separated at an altitude of 579 kilometers about 16 minutes after liftoff. One additional cube satellite designed to observe marine waste near Jeju Island was not separated, but officials said this was separate from the rocket’s primary mission of reaching the planned altitude, speed and satellite deployment conditions.
South Korea Moves Toward Commercial Space Launches
The latest mission marked Nuri’s fourth consecutive successful orbital launch after the first launch attempt in 2021 failed. South Korea’s accumulated success rate for the rocket program has risen from 75% to 80%.
South Korean space officials say a success rate above 90% is needed to compete in the commercial launch market. Future Nuri launches in 2027 and 2028 will continue the current phase before private industry takes over. Hanwha Aerospace is expected to lead production and launch operations for the eighth launch after receiving transferred Nuri technology.
The government aims to transition toward commercial launches after 2030, with a target of two to three launches per year as private-sector capabilities expand.
Comments
Post a Comment