Pusan National University Successfully Flight-Tests Two-Stage Science Rocket "Saetbeol-2"

Flight test conducted in Goheung, South Jeolla Province

The two-stage science rocket “Saetbeol-2,” developed by Pusan National University, performed key flight procedures during a flight test, including ignition and combustion of the first- and second-stage propulsion systems and stage separation, demonstrating the potential of next-generation space propulsion technology.

Pusan National University’s Space Launch Vehicle and Space Transportation Education and Research Center (SLV·ST ERC) announced on November 9 that it conducted a flight test of “Saetbeol-2” in Goheung, South Jeolla Province, on November 7. The rocket was developed with support from the Korea Aerospace Administration and Busan City.

The test was conducted as part of the Korea Aerospace Administration’s Future Space Education Center project. Pusan National University led the project, with INNOSPACE, Korean Air, and Inha University participating as joint research institutions. The program trains space professionals through hands-on experience, with universities and industry partners carrying out every stage from launch vehicle design and production to testing, launch, and flight demonstration.

Saetbeol-2 is a two-stage science rocket measuring 4.1 meters in length and weighing 138 kilograms at liftoff. Graduate students and researchers at Pusan National University led the design and integration of the launch vehicle system, working with the joint research institutions and specialized companies to develop a hybrid rocket propulsion system, launch pad, structure, avionics and communications systems, and stage separation and recovery systems.

Advanced additive manufacturing technologies, including metal 3D printing, were widely used in the launch vehicle. Major rocket engine components were made from a nickel-based superalloy, while the propellant tanks were made from a titanium alloy. The technologies were also used in structural components and mounting parts for the avionics equipment.

By company, Vitzro Nextech was responsible for manufacturing the engine and propellant tanks, while MWMW developed the recovery system. GENOHCO supplied the power supply unit and harness, and AT Tech and SM Precision participated in manufacturing the rocket body.

In the Saetbeol-1 test conducted on October 17, the research team confirmed the operation of the first-stage propulsion system and the flight safety and recovery systems, but did not proceed to stage separation or operation of the second-stage propulsion system. The team then analyzed the flight data and conducted additional ground tests and system improvements before proceeding with the Saetbeol-2 test.

The test carried out key flight sequences, including ignition and combustion of the first- and second-stage propulsion systems, stage separation, and deployment of the first- and second-stage parachutes. In particular, the team installed a rotating detonation rocket engine (RDRE) developed by Pusan National University in the second-stage propulsion system and confirmed its ignition and initial operation in an actual flight environment after stage separation.

An RDRE is a next-generation rocket propulsion technology in which detonation waves continuously rotate and burn inside a combustion chamber. Going beyond ground tests of individual propulsion systems, this test integrated the actual launch vehicle’s propellant supply and ignition systems, structure and avionics, and stage separation system, gathering operational data in a flight environment.

Strong winds limited some aspects of the test, but both the first and second stages of Saetbeol-2 were recovered. The research team is conducting a detailed analysis of the flight data to assess the operating characteristics of each system and identify areas for improvement.

Graduate students at Pusan National University took part in every stage of launch vehicle development for this project, from system design, production, and final assembly to ground testing, launch operations, flight testing, and data analysis.

Choi Jung-yeol, head of Pusan National University’s Space Launch Vehicle and Space Transportation Education and Research Center, said, “A real launch vehicle development process involves analyzing the cause of a problem when it arises during testing, revalidating the system, and carrying that work forward to the next flight. It is educationally significant that the graduate students directly carried out the entire process, from encountering problems and identifying their causes to making improvements, retesting, and conducting an actual flight.”

Pusan National University researchers who developed the Saetbeol science rocket.

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