The Korean launch vehicle Nuri (KSLV-II) has completed key checks and entered the full-scale phase of loading fuel and oxidizer. With about three hours left until liftoff, researchers at the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) are sequentially carrying out launch operations under cautious procedures.
The Korea AeroSpace Administration and the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) said they began loading propellants into Nuri at about 10:08 p.m. on the 26th. This is a step that is only possible after passing all checks of the electrical system and the propulsion supply system, meaning Nuri has effectively entered the phase just before launch.
The research team began launch operation procedures for the launch control equipment at 6:45 p.m. After checking the propulsion supply system, they proceeded with filling the fuel tank and the ambient-temperature high-pressure tank, conducting an overall propulsion supply system check, and cooling the supply system for liquid oxygen (oxidizer) injection. Because liquid oxygen can be stably loaded only at temperatures at or below minus 183 degrees, it is essential to sufficiently lower the temperature of the supply lines. Next, full-scale oxidizer chilling proceeded, accelerating the propellant loading phase.
Fuel (kerosene) and oxidizer will be filled into the tanks via the umbilical for about two hours until 11:55 p.m. Before propellant loading, communications checks were carried out between the Naro Space Center and Nuri. This is an essential step to properly receive position information during flight and satellite separation data.
If no issues are found after all checks and propellant loading are completed, the launch will enter prelaunch automatic operation (PLO) from 12:45 a.m. on the 27th, 10 minutes before liftoff. PLO is the phase in which all procedures are carried out automatically just before launch, and if new errors are detected during this process, the launch is halted immediately.
If all goes as scheduled, Nuri will launch at 12:55 a.m. on the 27th. Total flight time is 21 minutes 24 seconds, and liftoff is planned when the ground hold-down is released at the moment the first-stage engine thrust reaches 300 tons.
The core of this mission is to place the next-generation medium-class satellite No. 3, developed by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), into a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 600 kilometers.