The Ministry of Science and ICT on May 25 said a meeting of its Launch Management Committee approved June 15 as the date of the second launch of the Nuri rocket. The photo shows the rocket's first launch at the Naro Space Center in Goheung-gun County, Jeollanam-do Province. (Korea Aerospace Research Institute)

The Ministry of Science and ICT on May 25 said a meeting of its Launch Management Committee approved June 15 as the date of the second launch of the Nuri rocket. The photo shows the rocket’s first launch from the Naro Space Center in Goheung-gun County, Jeollanam-do Province. (Korea Aerospace Research Institute)

By Aisylu Akhmetzianova and Yoon Hee Young

The second launch of the domestically developed Korea Space Launch Vehicle-II, aka Nuri, is set for June 15.

The Ministry of Science and ICT on May 25 said a meeting of its Launch Management Committee finalized the date of the launch after comprehensive examinations of technical preparations and optimal conditions for liftoff.

The preliminary launch period is June 16-23 considering the possibility of a change of schedule due to weather.

Nuri will be launched from the Naro Space Center in Goheung-gun County, Jeollanam-do Province, and the committee will finalize the launch time through two meetings on the launch date. Yonhap News Agency on May 25 predicted that the rocket will blast off between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m., as the first launch came at 5 p.m. on Oct. 21 last year.

For its second launch, Nuri will carry a 180-kg performance verification satellite and four cube satellites (subminiature satellites with elementary functions). Its first launch had a payload of just a 1.5-ton dummy satellite with no working function.

Nuri received technical improvements based on the results of the first launch with its first and second stages completely assembled. While installing a gunpowder device to drive parts of the propulsion engine within the first and second stages, preparation is being done to mount the performance verification satellite on the third-stage rocket.

In addition, comprehensive training for final inspection of launch safety control was conducted on May 19 for a safe and successful launch to thoroughly prepare for a range of emergencies and secure public safety.

First Vice Minister of Science and ICT Oh Tae-Seog said, “After the first launch, domestic researchers and industry representatives did their best to improve and make technical complements to Nuri.”

aisylu@korea.kr