China News Service, March 26. According to Korean media reports, South Korea’s Ministry of Science, Technology, Information and Communication and Korea Aerospace Research Institute said on the 25th that the first stage booster engine of the “Nuri” carrier rocket independently developed in China was obtained on the same day. success.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in was present to watch the test.

Data map: South Korean President Moon Jae-in.

Photo courtesy of the Blue House

  On the afternoon of the 25th, local time, the Aerospace Research Institute conducted a ground ignition test on the first-stage booster of the "Nuri" certification model (QM) at the Raro Space Center in Gwanggyeong County, Jeollanam-do. The test was verified by the automatic launch software. The ignition test lasted for 127 seconds in total, which reached the actual launch time and the combustion was stable and the supply was normal.

  Moon Jae-in said that South Korea’s space age is just around the corner. “We can finally launch a self-developed satellite with a self-developed rocket and launch it on Korean territory.”

  Moon Jae-in said that the government will boldly invest, actively promote space exploration projects, develop and use various artificial satellites, and strengthen private space development capabilities; strive to launch the lunar orbiter by 2022, and use self-developed rockets to achieve the moon landing by 2030. dream.

  According to the report, the "Nuri" consists of the first, second, and third stage rocket engines. Its ultimate goal is to launch a 1.5-ton practical satellite into low-Earth orbit (600-800 kilometers from the ground).

The first-stage rocket that was successfully ignited was bundled with four 75-ton thrust liquid engines. This technology was first adopted by a domestic carrier rocket in South Korea, and it was also one of the biggest technical problems of this research and development project.

  As a result, the rocket's first, second, and third stage boosters have all been developed, and it is expected to conduct two space test launches in October and May 2022 respectively.