South Korea’s fourth space rocket launch successful, sends satellites into orbit

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By Heejin Kim

SEOUL (Reuters) -South Korea successfully launched its fourth homegrown space rocket Nuri on Thursday and put more than a dozen satellites into orbit, the Science Ministry said, marking the country’s first launch jointly conducted with a private company. 

South Korea started the Nuri rocket programme in 2021, but in the latest launch, local company Hanwha Aerospace led the manufacturing and assembly of the rocket, using technology transferred from the government.

A live stream on YouTube by Korea Aerospace Research Institute showed the rocket soaring into the night sky from its launchpad in Goheung.

“This… is the first time that private companies have participated in the entire process,” South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said in a message posted on Facebook.

“As we have proved the independence of our science and technology, I believe it will be the foundation for future generations.”

The Nuri rocket lifted off from Naro Space Center on the southern coast of South Korea at 1:13 a.m. local time (1613 GMT Wednesday).

The main commercial-grade satellite and 12 other cube satellites carried by the rocket were successfully set in orbit, South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT said.

Another South Korean company, HD Hyundai Heavy, operated the launchpad.

Shares in Hanwha Aerospace and HD Hyundai Heavy were both up 1.6% in Thursday morning trade, outperforming the wider market’s 1.1% rise.

Including Thursday’s launch, South Korea aims to test-launch a total of six rockets by 2027. 

The government said it has transferred technology to Hanwha as an effort to help the private sector build up capabilities in the space sector and enhance the country’s competitiveness in the aerospace industry.

(Reporting by Heejin Kim and Joyce Lee in Seoul, Hyunsu Yim in Barcelona and Mrinmay Dey in BengaluruEditing by Rod Nickel, Ed Davies)