South Korea is conducting the first full demonstration flight of its new small satellite launch vehicle, developed for military use. The rocket will launch from an offshore platform off the coast of Jeju Island.
The vehicle has a payload capacity of approximately 500 kg to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and features a four-stage design: the first three stages use solid fuel, while the fourth stage is liquid-propelled.
Comparison to Selected Small-Lift Launch Vehicles
| Rocket | Height (m) | Diameter (m) | Payload to LEO/SSO (kg) | Est. Cost per Launch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pegasus XL | 17.6 | 1.15 | 443 (LEO) | ~$40 million |
| Spectrum | 28 | 2 | 700 | ~$12 million |
| Firefly Alpha | 29 | 1.8 | 630 | ~$15–18 million |
| Electron (Rocket Lab) | 18 | 1.2 | 200–300 | ~$8 million |
This test represents an important step in South Korea’s effort to develop independent small-payload launch capabilities. Contrary to most current competitors, they chose a solid-fuel system instead of liquid fuels.
Video from last Launch
S. Korea aims to use solid-fuel space rocket to put 500 kg satellite into low Earth orbit by 2025
Livestream
TBD
Useful links to stay up to date on launches:
Next Spaceflight nextspaceflight.com
NASA Spaceflight nasaspacefight.com
