- Convening of Nuri 4th Launch Preparation Meeting
- Appointment of Dr. PARK Jong-Chan as New Director for Korean Launch Vehicle Enhancement Program
□ The preparations for the 4th launch of the Korean Space launch vehicle Nuri, aimed at deploying the Next Generation Medium-sized Satellite No. 3 into mission orbit, have officially begun.
□ The Korea Aerospace Research Institute (led by Director Lee Sang-ryul, hereinafter referred to as "KARI") held the "Nuri 4th Launch Preparation Commencement Meeting" on October 6th (Friday), with representatives from the Ministry of Science and ICT, the Nuri Launch Preparation Inspection Team, and System Integrator Company (Hanwha Aerospace) in attendance.
ㅇ During the meeting, updates on the 4th launch preparation status were shared, including design changes reflecting the outcomes of the Nuri 3rd launch, satellite readiness status, and launch pad readiness status, and future plans were discussed.
* Changes in satellite payload configuration to accommodate multiple payloads, improvements in CubeSat separation monitoring, and alterations due to obsolescence in electronic/control components were among the topics covered.
ㅇ The construction of the Nuri Flight Model 4 (FM4) has commenced under the supervision of the System Integrator Company since May, with the assembly of stages 1, 2, and 3 scheduled to begin in the second half of '24.
ㅇ The 4th launch of Nuri is scheduled to take place in the latter half of '25 according to the project schedule for deploying the primary payload, Next Generation Medium-sized Satellite No. 3, into the target orbit.
□ Additionally, KARI has appointed Dr. Park Jong-chan as the new director to lead future enhancement program.
ㅇ Dr. Park has been with KARI since 2005, contributing 18 years of research and development expertise in launch vehicle systems, including Naro and Nuri.
ㅇ Dr. Park Jong-chan, the newly appointed director for enhancement projects, expressed his commitment: "I am deeply honored to oversee the production and launch of Nuri, developed with indigenous technology. I will work tirelessly with all project members to ensure the smooth preparation for the remaining three Nuri launches, building upon the achievements of my senior
colleagues and peers."
□ Furthermore, KARI aims to enhance the reliability of launch vehicles through repetitive launches of the Korean space launch vehicle and foster the domestic launch vehicle industry through technology transfer to the private sector. They are currently executing the "Korean Space Launch Vehicle II Enhancement Program" ('22 ~ '27, 6.8738 trillion won), with the successful deployment of the primary payload, Next Generation Small Satellite No. 2, achieved through the Nuri 3rd launch in May.