South Korea's homegrown Nuri rocket successfully lifted off from the Naro Space Center early Thursday, with the main unit of the 13 satellites deployed establishing communication with King Sejong Station in Antarctica, the country's space agency said.

The launch at 1:13 a.m. was delayed from the original 12:55 a.m. schedule due to a sensor issue.

About two minutes after liftoff, the 200-ton Nuri separated the first stage, followed by the second-stage four minutes and 30 seconds into flight.

After reaching the target altitude of 600 km, Nuri separated a next-generation medium-sized satellite, the CAS500-3, along with 12 cube satellites.

The fourth launch came two years and six months after its third launch in May 2023.

This marked Korea's first late-night rocket launch, as the timing was set to minimize solar interference to enable the primary mission of the main payload, the Compact Advanced Satellite (CAS) 500-3 satellite, which will observe auroras and atmospheric light.

The Nuri, formally called the Korea Space Launch Vehicle II, made its first launch in October 2021 but failed to enter orbit while carrying a 1.5-ton dummy satellite after its third-stage engine shut down. Despite the setback, the launch was considered a significant milestone, because it marked the first time Korea built and operated a launch vehicle comprised of domestic technologies across all stages, and successfully reached the target altitude.

In the second launch in June 2022, the Nuri successfully reached the target altitude of 700 kilometers and succeed in putting a Performance Verification Satellite and a 1.3-ton dummy satellite into orbit, becoming the seventh country to independently launch payload weighing over 1 ton.

In the third launch in May 2023, Nuri's mission shifted from test flights to deploying commercial-level satellites. It successfully placed the NEXTSat-2 satellite and seven cube satellites into a 550-kilometer orbit. Key mission objectives, including launch vehicle performance verification, primary satellite operation and multi-satellite separation, were evaluated as successful.

The fourth launch marks Korea's entry into a new space era led by the private sector. Unlike previous missions, the government transferred key launch vehicle technologies to Hanwha Aerospace, which took charge of nearly the entire process, from the rocket's manufacturing and assembly to operation.

With private companies launching rockets carrying payloads commissioned by universities, research institutes and other firms, Korea's space launch sector is now expanding into a commercial ecosystem.

The Nuri carried 13 satellites in the latest launch.

The CAS500-3, developed by Korea Aerospace Industries, is tasked with conducting space science research. The medium-sized satellite carried three instruments, including BioCabinet, commissioned by Hallym University, which will conduct 3D bioprinting and stem cell experiments in a microgravity environment.

Among 12 cube satellites, Space LiinTech's BEE-100 will conduct the world's first experiment of crystallizing proteins for immunotherapy drugs in space to explore the potential for producing high-purity pharmaceuticals in space.

UZURO Tech's COSMIC will conduct tests satellites' post-mission disposal technology which enables decommissioned satellites to autonomously reenter the atmosphere. This is viewed as a key technology responding to toughening space-debris regulations in the United States and Europe.

S. Korea's 4th Nuri rocket launch successful, main satellite establishes contact - The Korea Times