South Korea on Thursday successfully carried out the fourth launch of its domestically developed carrier rocket, “Nuri,” placing 13 satellites into orbit, Yonhap News Agency reported, citing official sources.

The 200-ton rocket lifted off from the southern spaceport at 1:13 a.m. local time (18:13 Kyiv time), following a minor delay to verify a sensor. Approximately two minutes after liftoff, the rocket’s first stage separated, followed by the second stage four and a half minutes later. The payloads reached the planned orbits at an altitude of roughly 600 kilometers.

The primary satellite, CAS500-3, established a stable link with South Korea’s research center in Antarctica at 1:55 a.m., allowing engineers to confirm its operational readiness. CAS500-3 will be used for scientific research, including studies of magnetic fields, plasma, and the aurora. The remaining 12 CubeSats, each measuring 10×10×10 cm³ and weighing up to 1.4 kg, are intended for a variety of experimental missions. The total payload mass for the launch was approximately 960 kg.

The rocket’s flight lasted around 18 minutes, ending at 1:31 a.m., with remnants expected to burn up upon re-entry into the atmosphere. Ground stations in Daejeon, South Korea, and Norway will continue monitoring the primary satellite.

President Lee Jae-myeon congratulated the nation on the mission’s success, highlighting the launch as a milestone in South Korea’s space exploration ambitions. “This opens a new chapter in our country’s space exploration history. We will continue to improve the lives of our fellow citizens through science and technology and strive to join the top five global space powers,” Lee said.

The Nuri program began in 2021 with the first test of a 1.5-ton prototype rocket. In 2022, a second attempt successfully placed a Performance Verification Satellite (PVSAT) and a 1.3-ton model into orbit. The third mission in 2023 also succeeded, deploying a modern small satellite and seven additional smaller devices.

Thursday’s launch marked South Korea’s first nighttime Nuri launch and the first instance of rocket assembly being carried out by private company Hanwha Aerospace within a government-led initiative to transfer space technologies to the private sector.

South Korea plans additional launches in 2026 and 2027, continuing to integrate private companies into its space program. Analysts say these efforts reflect the country’s growing ambitions in space exploration, science, and technology development, laying the groundwork for long-term research and innovation in the sector. (ILKHA)