S. Korea's Nuri space rocket lifts off from Naro Space Center

South Korea launched its homegrown Nuri rocket from the Naro Space Center in Goheung on Wednesday at 12:25 p.m. The 200-ton rocket carried 15 satellites, including five NEONSAT microsatellites for the country’s first domestically launched microsatellite constellation and 10 CubeSats. Satellite deployment began at an altitude of around 575 kilometers, with the flight scheduled to conclude about 20 minutes after liftoff. The constellation will support monitoring of the Korean Peninsula and surrounding areas for national security and disaster response.

Nuri’s first and second stages were scheduled to separate about 123 and 268 seconds after liftoff, respectively.

Each NEONSAT satellite weighs less than 100 kilograms and carries an electro-optical camera capable of distinguishing objects as small as 1 meter in black-and-white images and 4 meters in color images.

The five NEONSAT satellites were scheduled for deployment at intervals of 35 to 40 seconds, while the 10 CubeSats were to be released two at a time at 10-second intervals.

Another five NEONSAT satellites are scheduled to launch aboard Nuri’s sixth flight next year, completing the 10-satellite constellation.

Once fully operational, the constellation will be capable of imaging the Korean Peninsula more than three times a day and revisiting the same location within 24 hours.

Published Oct 7, 2026 7:38 am KST

Updated Oct 7, 2026 12:39 pm KST

The Nuri rocket is erected at the launchpad in the Naro Space Center in Goheung in Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Metropolitan City, Tuesday. Courtesy of Korea Aerospace Research Institute

South Korea launched its homegrown Nuri rocket Wednesday on its fifth flight to place 15 satellites into orbit, including five that will form part of the country's first domestically launched microsatellite constellation.

The 200-ton Nuri blasted off from the Naro Space Center in Goheung, about 400 kilometers southwest of Seoul, at 12:25 p.m.

The payload consists of five New-space Earth Observation Satellite Constellation for National Safety (NEONSAT) microsatellites and 10 CubeSats.

Nuri's first and second stages will separate about 123 and 268 seconds after liftoff, respectively, with satellite deployment beginning between 810 and 960 seconds at an altitude of around 575 kilometers.

The five NEONSATs, Nos. 2 through 6, will be deployed at intervals of 35 to 40 seconds, with Nuri's upper stage rotating by about 45 degrees between each separation to prevent collisions. The 10 CubeSats will then be deployed two at a time at 10-second intervals.

After releasing all 15 satellites, Nuri will perform a collision-avoidance maneuver and vent its remaining fuel, completing its flight about 20 minutes after liftoff. The rocket will then remain in orbit before eventually reentering Earth's atmosphere and burning up.

The Korea Aerospace Research Institute will track the flight from facilities in South Korea and Palau in the western Pacific.

The fifth flight will mark Nuri's first attempt to sequentially deploy multiple primary satellites designed to perform the same mission.

Each NEONSAT weighs less than 100 kilograms and carries an electro-optical camera capable of distinguishing objects as small as 1 meter in black-and-white images and 4 meters in color images.

The satellites will monitor the Korean Peninsula and surrounding areas for national security and disaster response.

The NEONSAT constellation will eventually consist of 10 satellites. Another five will be launched aboard Nuri's sixth flight scheduled for next year to complete the constellation.

韩国于周三下午12点25分在豪兴市罗路航天中心发射了国产“努里”号火箭。这枚重达200吨的火箭搭载了15颗卫星，其中包括5颗NEONSAT微型卫星（韩国首个国产微型卫星星座）和10颗立方体卫星。卫星在约575公里的高空开始部署，预计发射后约20分钟结束。该星座将用于监测朝鲜半岛及其周边地区，以保障国家安全和应对灾害。

努里火箭的第一级和第二级计划分别在升空后约 123 秒和 268 秒分离。

每颗 NEONSAT 卫星的重量不到 100 公斤，并搭载一台光电相机，能够在黑白图像中分辨出小至 1 米的物体，在彩色图像中分辨出小至 4 米的物体。

五颗 NEONSAT 卫星计划以 35 至 40 秒的间隔进行部署，而 10 颗 CubeSat 卫星则以 10 秒的间隔一次释放两颗。

另有五颗 NEONSAT 卫星计划于明年搭乘 Nuri 的第六次飞行发射升空，从而完成 10 颗卫星的星座建设。

一旦全面投入运行，该星座将能够每天对朝鲜半岛进行三次以上的成像，并在 24 小时内重访同一地点。

发布于2026年10月7日 上午7:38（韩国标准时间）

更新于2026年10月7日下午12:39（韩国标准时间）

周二，Nuri火箭在全罗南道光州特别广域市高兴市罗路宇宙中心的发射台上竖立。图片由韩国航空航天研究院提供。

韩国周三发射了国产“努里”火箭，这是该火箭的第五次飞行，旨在将 15 颗卫星送入轨道，其中包括 5 颗将组成该国首个国产微型卫星星座的卫星。

重达200吨的“努里”号航天飞机于下午12点25分从位于首尔西南约400公里处的高兴市罗罗航天中心发射升空。

有效载荷包括 5 颗用于国家安全的新型空间地球观测卫星星座 (NEONSAT) 微型卫星和 10 颗立方体卫星。

努里火箭的第一级和第二级将分别在发射后约 123 秒和 268 秒分离，卫星将在发射后 810 秒至 960 秒之间在约 575 公里的高度展开。

五颗NEONSAT卫星（编号2至6）将以35至40秒的间隔依次部署，努里火箭的上级将在每次部署之间旋转约45度，以防止碰撞。随后，十颗CubeSat立方体卫星将以10秒的间隔，每次部署两颗。

努里火箭释放完15颗卫星后，将进行避碰机动并排出剩余燃料，大约在升空20分钟后完成飞行。之后，火箭将在轨道上运行一段时间，最终重返地球大气层并烧毁。

韩国航空航天研究院将从位于韩国和西太平洋帕劳的设施跟踪此次飞行。

第五次飞行将标志着努里首次尝试按顺序部署多颗旨在执行同一任务的主卫星。

每颗 NEONSAT 的重量不到 100 公斤，并搭载一台光电相机，能够分辨黑白图像中小至 1 米的物体和彩色图像中小至 4 米的物体。

这些卫星将监测朝鲜半岛及周边地区，以维护国家安全和应对灾害。

NEONSAT星座最终将由10颗卫星组成。另外5颗卫星将搭乘努里号火箭的第六次飞行任务（计划于明年进行）发射升空，以完成星座的建设。