S Korea's homegrown space rocket set for October launch

Seoul, May 6

South Korea's first fully homegrown space rocket is on track for its scheduled launch later this year, the chief of the country's space research institute said on Thursday.

Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) President Lee Sang-ryool said the 200-ton three-stage rocket, named Nuri, is currently being assembled without a glitch in the process.

South Korea has been seeking to develop a homegrown space launch vehicle since 2010, earmarking nearly 2 trillion won ($1.79 billion).

While the country launched its two-stage Naro rocket in 2013, its first stage was built in Russia. 

In March, KARI ran the final test for Nuri's main first-stage engines at the Naro Space Center in Goheung, 473 kms south of Seoul, reports Yonhap news agency.

The Nuri will carry a mock payload for its launch in October ahead of its mission to fly with a 200-kilogram satellite in May next year. IANS

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