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Korea's only home-built orbital launcher, and the route by which Hanwha is becoming a private launch and satellite-integration supplier.
Nuri is South Korea's first launcher designed and built entirely in the country. It has three stages and is 47.2 m long, 3.5 m in diameter and weighs about 200 tonnes. The first stage has four 75-tonne liquid-fuel engines clustered together, the second stage one 75-tonne engine, and the third stage one 7-tonne engine. It is designed for low Earth orbit at 600–800 km. Development began in March 2010 and cost about 2 trillion won (about US$1.5 billion). The Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) led the work, with more than 300 Korean companies taking part.
Key dates: a 75-tonne engine test in June 2016; the rocket was named Nuri on 3 September 2018; a test vehicle verified the engine on 28 November 2018. The first launch, on 21 October 2021, reached 700 km, but its 1.5-tonne dummy satellite did not reach orbit. The second launch on 21 June 2022 put a performance verification satellite and a 1.3-tonne dummy into a 700 km orbit. That made Korea the seventh country able to launch a satellite of more than one tonne on its own rocket. The third launch on 25 May 2023 carried NEXTSat-2 and seven other satellites.
Setbacks: on the first flight, the mount holding a helium tank inside the third-stage oxidiser tank came loose about 36 seconds after lift-off, because the design had not allowed for the rise in buoyancy as the rocket accelerated. Oxidiser leaked and the third-stage engine shut down about 46 seconds early. The fix was to strengthen the mount and the tank. Later launches were held back by a sensor fault (2022) and a computer fault at the helium facility (May 2023). There was a gap of two and a half years between the third and fourth flights.
Status (2026): the Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA) has run the programme since 27 May 2024. Hanwha Aerospace became system integrator in December 2022. In July 2025 it signed for full technology transfer from KARI, with exclusive rights to build and launch Nuri until 2032. The fourth launch on 27 November 2025 (1:13 a.m., the first night launch) carried the CAS500-3 satellite and 12 CubeSats, and was the first led by Hanwha. The fifth, on 7 October 2026, put five NEONSAT Earth-observation microsatellites into orbit at about 576 km, the first time Korea has launched five primary satellites on one flight. Nine CubeSats also deployed, but one stayed on board when its dispenser cover did not open. Hanwha staff worked 20 of the 22 launch-control consoles.
Next: the sixth flight (second half of 2027) will carry NEONSAT 7–11, with stages built at Hanwha's new Suncheon plant. The seventh (2028) will carry Next-Generation Medium Satellite 5, for water-resource and river monitoring. Flights are to become fully industry-led from 2029. On 20 Oct 2026 KASA told the Cabinet it plans at least one Nuri launch a year from 2027 to 2032, with two in 2030. The eighth (2029) is to carry a lunar-orbit communications satellite. The ninth and tenth (2030) are to carry two low-orbit communications test satellites and Korea's first small lunar lander. The eleventh (2031) is to carry four Earth-observation microsatellites, and the twelfth (2032) three companion satellites for Arirang-8. KASA's 2027 budget proposal includes a new 75 billion won Nuri follow-on launch programme, 155 billion won for Nuri upgrades and 25.3 billion won for Naro Space Center equipment. The longer-term aim is two to three launches a year.
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March 2010 (month only)
The Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) began developing a three-stage launcher designed and built entirely in Korea, at a cost of about 2 trillion won, with more than 300 Korean companies taking part.
Why it matters: It created the domestic launcher supply chain that Korean industry now builds on.
28 November 2018
A single-stage test vehicle verified the 75-tonne liquid-fuel engine in flight, two months after the rocket was named Nuri.
Why it matters: It proved the engine that powers the first and second stages.
21 October 2021
The first launch reached 700 km, but the 1.5-tonne dummy satellite did not reach orbit: a helium tank mount came loose and the third-stage engine shut down about 46 seconds early.
Why it matters: The fix, a stronger mount and tank, showed how one design assumption can decide a flight.
21 June 2022
Nuri put a performance verification satellite and a 1.3-tonne dummy into a 700 km orbit, making Korea the seventh country to launch a satellite of more than one tonne on its own rocket.
Why it matters: It gave Korea independent access to orbit for the first time.
December 2022 (month only)
Hanwha Aerospace signed a 286 billion won contract to act as system integrator within a 687.4 billion won Nuri upgrade programme running to 2027.
Why it matters: It began the handover of the launcher from a state institute to industry.
25 May 2023
The third launch carried NEXTSat-2 and seven other satellites, after a delay caused by a computer fault at the helium facility.
Why it matters: It was Nuri's first working-payload mission; a two-and-a-half-year gap followed.
July 2025 (month only)
KARI agreed to transfer all Nuri technology to Hanwha Aerospace, with exclusive rights to build and launch Nuri until 2032.
Why it matters: Hanwha now holds the only Korean licence to sell Nuri launches.
27 November 2025
The first night launch carried the CAS500-3 satellite and 12 CubeSats, and was the first led by Hanwha.
Why it matters: It tested whether industry could run a launch campaign, not just build the parts.
7 October 2026
Nuri put five NEONSAT Earth-observation microsatellites into orbit at about 576 km, with 9 of 10 CubeSats deployed (one stayed on board when its dispenser cover did not open). Hanwha staff worked 20 of the 22 launch-control consoles.
Why it matters: Four successes in five flights (80%); the first Korean flight with five primary satellites.
20 October 2026
KASA told the Cabinet it plans at least one Nuri launch a year from 2027 to 2032, with two in 2030 (including Korea's first small lunar lander) and payloads named up to the 12th flight. Its 2027 budget proposal adds a 75 billion won follow-on launch programme.
Why it matters: A fixed launch plan gives satellite builders and suppliers a dated pipeline of work.
Second half of 2027
The sixth flight is to carry NEONSAT satellites 7 to 11, using stages built at Hanwha's new Suncheon plant.
What to watch: Watch whether the first Suncheon-built stages fly on time.
2028 (year only); industry-led from 2029
The seventh flight (2028) is to carry Next-Generation Medium Satellite 5 for water-resource monitoring; from 2029 flights are to be led by industry, starting with a lunar-orbit communications satellite.
What to watch: Watch the move to industry-led launches, which decides whether Nuri becomes a commercial service.
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Partner list drawn from agency, company and Korean press sources as of 9 Nov 2026. Formal payload rating (kg to a stated orbit) not published by KASA in the sources opened; most suppliers' contract values not published.
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| Compared item | Stages / height | Lift-off mass | Payload | First flight | Record / builder |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nuri KSLV-II (reference) | 3 stages / 47.2 m | ~200 t | More than 1 t to 600–800 km (1.5 t dummy flown 2021) | 21 Oct 2021 | 4 of 5 successful; Hanwha Aerospace / KARI |
| PSLV-XL (India) | 4 stages / 44.4 m | 320 t | 1,750–1,800 kg to sun-synchronous orbit (source gives both) | PSLV-C11 (Chandrayaan-1); date not given in source | ISRO |
| Vega-C (Europe) | 4 stages / ~35 m | ~210 t | Up to 2.2 t to 700 km polar orbit | 13 Jul 2022 (VV21) | Avio (prime contractor) |
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