The Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA) said it plans to push ahead simultaneously with repeated Nuri rocket launches, expansion of its launch vehicle lineup, and reinforcement of launch infrastructure to build a system that launches domestic satellites on domestic launch vehicles whenever possible. The aim is to break away from a structure where launches are delayed even when satellites are ready because they are tied to overseas launch vehicle schedules.
O Tae-seok, Administrator of the Korea AeroSpace Administration, said at a press briefing held at the Korea AeroSpace Administration in Sacheon, South Gyeongsang, on the 24th, "As launch demand has recently increased worldwide, it is becoming very difficult to secure overseas launch vehicles that can be used at the desired time," and "This again shows why securing independent access to space is important."
In fact, the Multi-purpose Practical Satellite 6 (Arirang 6) had initially been scheduled to launch in the second half of this year on Arianespace's Vega C launch vehicle in Europe, but the target launch timeframe was adjusted to the second quarter of 2027 as development of an overseas co-payload satellite was delayed.
Administrator O said, "Even if we terminate the contract to use the Vega C launch vehicle, it is difficult to immediately secure an alternative launch vehicle," adding, "The launch vehicle market is already saturated, so launch dates must be booked at least three years in advance." In the end, both launch vehicles and launch infrastructure are needed to send payloads to space at the desired time.
The Korea AeroSpace Administration plans to strengthen the repeated launch system of the Nuri to reduce such bottlenecks. Administrator O said, "Launching once a year cannot achieve economic viability," and "To ensure the Nuri's economic viability, multiple systems must change starting with standardization and normalization."
Administrator O explained that not only launcher production but also the entire process—assembly, inspection, and launch site refurbishment—must be revised for repeated operations. O said, "At present, the Nuri has only the experience of being launched once a year," and "Even getting ready again after a launch takes about three months by current standards." O added, "With this approach, there is a limit to greatly increasing the number of launches," and "We need to overhaul the entire launch operations system."
The Korea AeroSpace Administration is preparing four repeated launches of the Nuri from 2029 to 2032. It expects that from the 2030s, two to three or more launches per year will be possible. Through repeated launches, it plans to standardize production and operations systems and, in the long term, prepare for a transition to commercial launch services.
Administrator O said, "The Nuri advancement project must move into the era of commercial launch services," adding, "Contracting methods must also shift to procurement and purchase methods." The intention is to avoid confining the Nuri to research and development (R&D) results and instead transition to a model where the government purchases the launch services it needs and uses them.
O then said, "In the 2030s, rather than the current R&D approach, we should consider converting to a system where we commission launch services through purchasing, as NASA does." This is a model similar to how NASA purchases launch services from private companies such as SpaceX.
Administrator O said, "Given that the volume of satellite launches will increase significantly going forward, we need a launch vehicle portfolio that considers the Nuri, next-generation launch vehicles, reusable launch vehicles, and private small launch vehicles together," adding, "Because next-generation launch vehicles are larger, it is difficult to launch them frequently just to carry one or two small satellites."
The Korea AeroSpace Administration also plans to expand launch infrastructure. Currently, Korea has only one space center, the Naro Space Center in Goheung, South Jeolla. The Korea AeroSpace Administration began soliciting candidate sites for a second space center on the 22nd and plans to select a final candidate site in Oct. The target start date for the project is 2028. The second space center is being envisioned as a facility that takes into account operations of reusable launch vehicles in the mid-2030s.
Near the Naro Space Center, a dedicated launch site that private corporations can use is also under construction. The Korea AeroSpace Administration is pushing the project with the goal of fully opening it in Jul. next year, and on the 29th it also plans to announce private-use guidelines so corporations can systematically use the launch site facilities.
Administrator O emphasized, "Because the Nuri has limits on payload capacity, using overseas launch vehicles for large satellites is inevitable for the time being, but we are setting a direction to launch domestically developed satellites on domestic launch vehicles whenever possible."
Separately, major launch schedules will continue in the second half of this year. The next-generation medium satellite 4 is scheduled to launch on Jul. 9 at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The fifth Nuri launch is currently being prepared with a target of Sep. This week, stage-by-stage assembly of the first, second, and third stages of the fifth Nuri will be completed, and final assembly will begin next week. The exact launch date will be decided by the launch management committee in early Aug.