With two days to go before liftoff, the homegrown launch vehicle Nuri (KSLV-II) was successfully erected on the launchpad at the Naro Space Center on the 25th, entering full-scale final checks.
The Korea AeroSpace Administration and the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) said they completed Nuri's erection and securing work at Launch Pad 2 of the Naro Space Center in Goheung County, South Jeolla, at 1:36 p.m. that day.
Around 9 a.m., Nuri left the assembly building loaded on an unmanned special transport vehicle called a "transporter" and arrived at the launchpad after about an hour.
Seated on the launchpad, Nuri was raised vertically using the erection equipment known as the "erector (mount)," and its lower section was secured by a device fitted with four locks. The device is designed to detach automatically when the engines reach maximum thrust at liftoff so the rocket can ascend.
In the afternoon, procedures will continue for launch preparations, including umbilical (umbilical·"navel string") connections for loading fuel (kerosene) and oxidizer and airtightness checks. Relevant agencies said all steps so far are proceeding smoothly as planned, and if no issues arise, work related to launchpad installation is expected to wrap up late in the day. However, the schedule may change depending on weather conditions.
The Nuri Launch Management Committee plans to hold a meeting on the afternoon of the 26th to decide whether to approve propellant loading. It will comprehensively review technical readiness, weather conditions, the launch window, and the possibility of collisions with space objects to finalize the exact launch time.