The Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA) will begin final assembly of the Nuri rocket next week ahead of its fifth launch in September. To respond to rapidly growing launch demand from both government and the private sector, the agency plans to expand launch infrastructure, including a second space center, and strengthen international cooperation. However, with the launch of the Arirang-6 satellite pushed back again to the first half of next year, observers say measures are needed to address external variables.
KASA Administrator Oh Tae-seok held a press conference at the agency in Sacheon, South Gyeongsang Province, Thursday and said, "This week, the assembly of the first, second, and third stages of the fifth Nuri rocket will be completed. From next week, we will conduct the final assembly of the entire rocket, and after the Launch Management Committee in early August, a September launch is expected."
Oh also stressed that even after the fifth launch, Korea should build a repeated launch system to invigorate the domestic space launch vehicle industry ecosystem and move toward an era of "commercial launch services." "We are preparing for four launches from 2029 to 2032," he said. "To ensure the economic viability of the Nuri rocket and enable repeated launches, comprehensive changes are needed beyond the Korean Launch Vehicle advancement project, including standardization of manufacturing specifications, contract methods, and launch site operating systems."
The agency also plans to accelerate the construction of a second space center. On Tuesday, KASA began soliciting candidate sites for the second space center from local governments nationwide. "We aim to select the final candidate site in October this year and begin the project in 2028," Oh said.
This comes as the need for additional infrastructure has grown amid rapidly increasing launch demand from government and the private sector in the New Space era. Unlike space powers such as the United States, which operate multiple launch sites, Korea currently relies solely on the launch pad at the Naro Space Center in South Jeolla Province.
If the second space center is built, the existing Naro Space Center will focus on upgrading its current launch pad, while the second space center will serve as a future-oriented complex launch base that can accommodate reusable next-generation launch vehicles and private launch vehicles.
"The launch pad currently under construction at the first space center is for launch vehicles without reusable functions," Oh explained. "The plan for the second center will consider reusable launch vehicle launch pads and landing sites, as well as small launch vehicles being developed by private startups."
In addition, a private-use launch site that domestic companies can freely utilize is being built near the Naro Space Center, with full opening targeted for July next year. "On the 29th of this month, we will also announce private-use guidelines so that companies can use the launch site facilities more systematically," Oh said.
However, with the launch of the Multipurpose Practical Satellite 6 (Arirang-6) pushed back nearly a year again, observers noted that Korea must move faster to secure independent access to space.
Arirang-6 was scheduled to launch in the second half of this year on Europe's Arianespace Vega C launch vehicle, but the launch schedule was adjusted to the second quarter of next year as the development schedule for an Italian Space Agency satellite to be carried alongside it was delayed. Arirang-6, which already completed satellite assembly and space environment testing in 2022, also had its launch postponed last June due to delays in overseas satellite development.
On this matter, Oh explained, "We reviewed various options to launch as scheduled, but at this point, even if we terminated the contract, we cannot find another launch vehicle. With launch demand increasing worldwide recently, it has become very difficult to find an overseas launch vehicle available at the desired time."
Meanwhile, KASA, which has been working on a comprehensive organizational overhaul since early this year, also announced plans to further strengthen its international cooperation functions.
"We are consulting with relevant ministries on an organizational structure that can systematically support bilateral and multilateral international cooperation and help our companies expand overseas and increase exports," Oh said.
This comes as the space development field is being reshaped, with the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) this year unveiling its "Moon Base" plan to build a long-term residential base on the moon, increasing the need to reset international cooperation strategies.
"Within NASA, policy priorities are shifting significantly toward building a moon base," Oh said. "For our country to participate as a key player in newly opening space exploration areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and space semiconductors, we must discuss ways to contribute by leveraging our strengths."
In connection with this, KASA plans to hold an Artemis workshop with NASA in Korea from the 29th to the 31st of next month to further detail the U.S. moon base plan and ways for Korea to participate.
"I believe laying the stepping stones for the long-term space industry is the most important job I have as administrator," Oh said. "I will work to establish a long-term vision for reorganizing KASA, building a private space industry ecosystem, and reestablishing the moon exploration strategy."
