27 November 2025 South Korea carried out the fourth launch into space of its own 200-ton Nuri launch vehicle from 13 by satellites from the cosmodrome in the south of the country.
The main medium-sized satellite CAS500-3 will be involved in conducting space scientific research, including measurements of cosmic magnetic fields and plasma, as well as the study of the aurora borealis phenomenon. Rest 12 cubits (small satellites with a volume of 10×10×10 cm³ and not heavier 1,4 Kg) will be used for various space studies. Korean specialists will continue to monitor the main satellite with the involvement of other ground stations, in particular those, located in the South Korean city of Daejeon and in Norway.
President of South Korea Lee Jae-myung, congratulating fellow citizens on the successful launch of the Nuri rocket, announced his desire to bring the country to the top five leading space powers. South Korea first test-launched the Nuri rocket with a 1.5-ton mock-up satellite in October 2021 year, however, then the rocket could not enter the Earth's orbit. In June 2022 a second attempt took place last year, which was successful and the rocket launched a performance test satellite into orbit (PVSAT) and a 1.3-ton model of another spacecraft. Third, also a successful launch, took place in May 2023 year, when South Korea launched a new small satellite and seven smaller spacecraft into orbit.
The Korean Space Agency noted, that the Nuri mission was the first nighttime space launch and the first incident, when the assembly of the rocket was carried out by a non-state corporation, and the private company Hanwha Aerospace as part of the government's plan to transfer space technology from the state to the private sector. South Korea plans to carry out the next space launches
in 2026 and 2027 years also with the involvement of Hanwha Aerospace, to which it is planned to gradually transfer rocket launch technologies.
Source: https://space.com.ua