The domestically developed rocket Nuri on Nov. 27, 2025, at 1:13 a.m. is launched for the fourth time from Naro Space Center in Goheung-gun County, Jeollanam-do Province. (Korea Aerospace Research Institute)

By Koh Hyunjeong

A group of microsatellites made with domestic technology is set to head into space for the first time aboard a Korean-built launch vehicle.

The Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA) on Sept. 15 said the fifth launch of the Nuri rocket is scheduled on Oct. 7 from Naro Space Center in Goheung-gun County, Jeollanam-do Province, carrying a record 15 satellites spanning five cluster microsatellites under the project New-space Earth Observation Satellite Constellation for National Safety (NEONSAT) and 10 cube satellites (CubeSats).

The five microsatellites will be deployed one at a time 35 to 40 seconds apart to prevent them from colliding into one another and ensure that they enter orbit at regular intervals.

Each will have high-resolution electro-optical cameras — 1-m-class panchromatic and 4-m-class color models — to accurately observe national security targets and sites of disasters like wildfires and floods.

In the rocket's sixth launch next year, KASA will send five additional satellites to complete its independent satellite constellation network of 10 units.

Nuri placed 13 satellites into orbit after its fourth launch last year on Nov. 27.

hjkoh@korea.kr