Nuri rocket to launch 15 satellites for South Korea's new constellation era

South Korea is preparing for the fifth launch of its Nuri rocket, scheduled for October 7. This mission marks a significant transition from single satellite deployment to a constellation-based operation system.

The launch will carry a total of 15 satellites, the largest number to date. The primary payload consists of five NeonSat micro-constellation satellites designed for high-frequency, high-precision Earth observation. These satellites feature electro-optical cameras capable of black-and-white 1m and color 4m resolution, which will be utilized for national security and disaster response, such as monitoring forest fires and floods.

In addition to the NeonSat group, the rocket will deploy 10 CubeSats developed by various universities, local governments, and private companies. These secondary payloads will perform diverse missions, including verifying domestic space components, investigating low-Earth orbit environments, monitoring marine debris in Jeju, and analyzing fine dust trends.

To ensure successful deployment, the mission utilizes a new low-impact satellite separation device to minimize shock. The five NeonSat satellites will be released sequentially at 35 to 40-second intervals in different directions to prevent collisions. Once the full constellation of 10 satellites is established by 2027, South Korea will be able to photograph the Korean Peninsula more than three times a day.