All Five Nuri-Launched Constellation Satellites Establish Contact... First Step Toward a 'Satellite Formation' [Nuri's 5th Launch]

Microsatellites Nos. 2-6 reach target orbits and are in good condition... Constellation to form over 2-3 months
Eight of nine secondary payload satellites also establish communications... DaejeonSat No. 1 attempting contact

The Korea Space Launch Vehicle-II (KSLV-II) Nuri is launched from the Naro Space Center in Goheung County, South Jeolla Province, on the afternoon of the 7th. Korea Aerospace Research Institute. Yonhap News Agency.

All five microsatellites launched aboard the fifth flight of South Korea's Nuri launch vehicle successfully made initial contact with ground stations. This marks the first time South Korea has launched five national satellites performing the same mission at once and successfully established communication with all of them. Once orbital adjustments are complete and the "satellite formation" is established, an era of constellation satellites that can closely monitor the Korean Peninsula will begin in earnest.

The Korea Aerospace Administration (KASA) and KAIST said that the five satellites, Nos. 2 through 6, which lifted off aboard Nuri at 12:25 p.m. on Oct. 7, had reached their target orbits and all successfully established two-way communication with domestic and international ground stations by 6 p.m. that day.

The first signal was received about 43 minutes after launch. Satellite No. 6 made its first contact with the ground station at the King Sejong Station in Antarctica at around 1:08 p.m. Satellite No. 4 then contacted the King Sejong Station at around 2:42 p.m., while No. 3 contacted the Svalbard ground station in the Arctic at around 3:27 p.m. No. 2 successfully established two-way communication with the King Sejong Station at around 4:18 p.m., followed by the last satellite, No. 5, at around 5:52 p.m.

During communication, all five satellites successfully transmitted their unique identification information and telemetry data, and responded normally to commands sent from the ground. Their basic functions, including solar panel deployment and power generation, as well as temperature and attitude, were also confirmed to be in good condition. KASA and KAIST determined that all five had reached their target orbits as planned and began full-scale initial operations.

First test of operating five satellites simultaneously... "Satellite formation" to be completed in 2-3 months

Rather than assigning an observation mission to a single satellite, a microsatellite constellation consists of multiple small satellites positioned at regular intervals to observe the same area more frequently. Satellites Nos. 2 through 6 launched this time will operate alongside No. 1, which was launched last year. Over the next two to three months, their orbits will be adjusted to form a constellation, creating a system capable of observing the Korean Peninsula at least three times a day.

KASA and KAIST will inspect the condition of each satellite's bus, optical payload, and communications and attitude-control systems, and will capture and receive test images. After completing in-orbit tests and image-quality verification, the satellites are scheduled to join existing satellites in Earth-observation missions.

South Korea's homegrown launch vehicle Nuri lifts off from Naro Space Center in Goheung County, South Jeolla Province, on the afternoon of the 7th, soaring toward space. Yonhap News Agency.

The successful communication also marks the first real-world demonstration not only that the satellites themselves are functioning normally, but also that the team can manage multiple satellites simultaneously. This requires identifying five satellites in different orbits and sending commands to each of them within limited ground-station communication windows to check their status. The microsatellite constellation project is led by KAIST's Satellite Technology Research Center, with domestic industry, academia, and research institutions, including the Korea Aerospace Research Institute and Satrec Initiative, taking part.

Most of the rideshare satellites carried aboard Nuri also successfully made their first contact. Eight of the nine rideshare satellites have completed communication with ground stations: the No. 2 Space Verification Platform for Domestic Components, Sledge, GB-SAT, Ulysses, SD1SAT, B-1012, JAC-007, and C-SAT. DaejeonSat-1 is currently attempting to establish communication. KASA plans to release a comprehensive update on the rideshare satellites' status on Oct. 13.

Visitors watch the Nuri launch vehicle lift off from the Space Launch Observatory in Goheung County, South Jeolla Province, on the afternoon of the 7th, launch day. Yonhap News Agency

"By launching five national satellites simultaneously and successfully establishing initial communication with all of them, we have confirmed South Korea's capabilities in satellite mass production and constellation operations," said Tae seog Oh, head of KASA. "We will also carry out the follow-up initial operations and performance verification without disruption, and put the satellites to practical use for national security and disaster response."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.