South Korea’s Nuri launch vehicle completed its fifth flight on October 7 from the Naro Space Center. The presidential office said Lee Jae Myung watched the broadcast and called for faster progress in satellite technology.
Nuri lifted off from the Naro Space Center in Goheung at 12:25 p.m. local time, about 400 kilometres south of Seoul. The flight ended roughly 20 minutes later. The presidential office said five satellites were successfully deployed, forming South Korea’s first microsatellite constellation launched domestically.
President Lee Jae Myung watched the broadcast from his office at Cheong Wa Dae with aides. Presidential spokesperson Kim Sung-wan said Lee called the launch a result of active government support for space missions. He urged officials to shorten the intervals between future launches to speed up advances in satellite technology.
The constellation is expected to monitor South Korea more frequently and support national security and disaster response, according to the presidential office. Lee wrote on X that the country had moved “one step closer to space sovereignty.”
The spokesperson also said the government had increased support for domestic businesses entering the commercial space transportation market. An additional 3.28 billion won, or about $2.45 million, helped schedule five more launches through 2032.