Nuri/KSLV-2 (Korean Space Launch Vehicle 2) Flight History by Variant/Year (2018-Present) by Ed Kyle, Last Update 12/31/2023 L(F) = Number of Launches(Number of Failures) KSLV-2 KSLV-2 Orbit Grand TLV Totals Totals Year L(F) L(F) L(F) L(F) L(F) ------------------------------------------------------------------ 2010 - - - - - 2011 - - - - - 2012 - - - - - 2013 - - - - - 2014 - - - - - 2015 - - - - - 2016 - - - - - 2017 - - - - - 2018 1(0) - - - 1(0) 2019 - - - - - 2020 - - - - - 2021 - 1(1) - 1(1) 1(1) 2022 - 1(0) - 1(0) 1(0) 2023 - 1(0) - 1(0) 1(0) ------------------------------------------------------------------ KSLV-2 KSLV-2 Orbit Grand TLV Totals Totals L(F) L(F) L(F) L(F) L(F) ------------------------------------------------------------------ Suborb 1(0) - - - 1(0) Orbit - 3(1) - 3(1) 3(1) Total 1(0) 3(1) - 3(1) 4(1) ------------------------------------------------------------------ NURI (KSLV-2) LAUNCH HISTORY DATE VEHICLE ID PAYLOAD MASS(t) SITE ORBIT ------------------------------------------------------------------ 11/28/18 KSLV-2-TLV TLV R&D Suborb Test NA SUB [1] 10/21/21 Nuri F1 Orbital Test 1.5 NA 2 [FTO][2] 06/21/22 Nuri F2 Orbital Test 1.5 NA 2 SSO [3] 05/25/23 Nuri F3 NEXTSat 2/4usats 0.240 NA 2 SSO [4] ------------------------------------------------------------------ NOTES [1] Test Launch Vehicle using 2nd stage and dummy 3rd stg. 209 km apogee. [2] Planned 700 km LEO/S. Third stage cut off early, after 475 sec of planned 521 sec burn. 7.5 km/sec velocity. Dummysat separation test succeeded, but orbit not achieved. Helium tank bracket in LOX tank failed. [3] Achieved 695 x 707 km x 98.02 deg LEO/S. First Nuri success. [4] NEXTSat 2 (179.9 kg) + 4 micro/cubesats (60 kg). To 541 x 550 km x 97.54 deg. SITE: NA = Naro Space Center ORBIT [FTO] = Failed to Orbit LEO = Low Earth Orbit SUB = Suborbital KSLV-2 Variants ================================================================== Name Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Height GLOW ------------------------------------------------------------------ KSLV-2-TLV S2 Mod S3 Dummy KSLV-2 S1 S2 S3 47.2 m 200 t ================================================================== Stage Data ================================================================== Stg Name Loaded Empty Thrust ISP ISP Burn Dia Len Mass Mass sec sec time tonnes tonnes tonnes SL Vac sec m m ------------------------------------------------------------------ S2 Mod 75t 148s 2.6 m 13.6 m S1 300t 127s 3.5 m 21.6 m S2 75t 147s 2.6 m 13.6 m S3 7t 521s 2.6 m 3.5 m PLF 2.6 m 7.0 m ================================================================== KSLV = Korean Space Launch Vehicle. Consisted of Krunichev supplied Angara URM first stage with KARI (Korean Aerospace Research Institute) solid second stage and payload fairing, launched from Naro Space Center, South Korea. KSLV-2 = Korean Space Launch Vehicle 2. KSLV-2 is a three-stage rocket designed to boost 1,500 kg to a 700 km sun synchronous low Earth orbit. All three stages use LOX/kerosene propulsion developed by the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI). During December, 2018, Korea performed a suborbital test flight of the first KSLV-2 Test Launch Vehicle (TLV) from Naro Space Center, powered by a single KRE-75. The TLV consisted of a KSLV-2 second stage powered by a single KRE-75 first stage engine, topped by a dummy third stage. This test fired the engine for 143 seconds and reached at least a 185 km apogee. A second TLV of this type was also planned. KSLV-2 Description KSLV-2 (Korean Space Launch Vehicle-2, also identified as Nuri) is a fully South Korean orbital launch vehicle development effort, a follow-on to the original Russian/South Korea KSLV rocket used to launch the first earth orbiting satellite from South Korea in 2013. Although the first KSLV only reached orbit once in three attempts, the program included the creation of a new launch site that was adapted for KSLV-2. The KSLV-2 first stage, 3.5 meters diameter, is powered by four KRE-75 gas generator engines each producing 75 tonnes of sea-level thrust. The 2.6 meter diameter second stage is boosted by a single, vacuum-optimized KRE-75. A small 7 tonne thrust gas generator engine (KRE-7) powers the 2.6 meter diameter third (kick) stage. KSLV-2 stands 47.2 meters in height and weighs around 200 tonnes at liftoff. KSLV-2 can boost 1,500 kg to a 700 km sun synchronous low Earth orbit. All three stages use LOX/kerosene propulsion developed by the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI). Development of the KRE-75 began during 2015. Launch vehicle design ran concurrently. During December, 2018, this phase of the program culminated in the suborbital test flight of the first KSLV-2 Test Launch Vehicle (TLV) from Naro Space Center, powered by a single KRE-75. The TLV consisted of a KSLV-2 second stage powered by a single KRE-75 first stage engine, topped by a dummy third stage. This test fired the engine for 143 seconds and reached at least a 185 km apogee. A second TLV of this type was contemplated, but apparently did not fly. South Korea KSLV-2 Inaugural South Korea's KSLV-2 (Korean Space Launch Vehicle 2), also named "Nuri", failed to reach orbit with a 1.5 tonne dummy satellite during its mostly-successful inaugural attempt on October 21, 2021. The 47.2 meter, 200 tonne, 3-stage LOX/kerosene (Jet-A) home-grown rocket lifted off from the Naro Space Center at 08:00 UTC, powered by four KRE-75, 75 tonne thrust, gas-generator-cycle, turbopump-fed engines. The 3.5 meter-diameter, 21.6 meter long first stage burned out as planned after 2 min 7 sec. The 13.6 meter long second stage then fired its single 75 tonne thrust engine for 2 min 27 sec. Stage 3, powered by a single 7 tonne thrust engine, then ignited for its planned 521 second burn. Unfortunately, the stage only fired for 475 seconds according to some reports. Orbital velocity was not achieved. The rectangular aluminum dummy payload did separate as planned and the stage performed an avoidance maneuver after separation. The early third stage cutoff was ultimately attributed to the failure of a Helium tank mounting bracket inside the LOX tank. It was the first flight of the four-engine first stage, which scored a notable success. Plans called for a second Nuri attempt during May 2022. Nuri Success Nuri succeeded during its second launch on June 21, 2022, when it reached a 695 x 707 km x 98.02 deg LEO/S. It carried a 1.5 tonne dummy mass on this mission. On May 25, 2023, the third Nuri successfully placed NEXTSat 2 and 4 cubesats into sun synchronous orbit. Total payload mass was 240 kg. References: http://www.kslv.or.kr Jonathan's Space Report Launch Vehicle Database "http://www.planet4589.org/space/lvdb/index.html" Gunter's Space Page "http://www.skyrocket.de/space"