Heo Tae-jung, Mayor of Daejeon, Hwang Jung-a, Member of the National Assembly, and others observe the launch at Naro Space Center... Welcome message released

As the Korea Space Launch Vehicle Nuri, led by Daejeon space companies, succeeded in its 5th launch on the 7th, Daejeon is leaping forward as South Korea's space industry hub city. Daejeon Mayor Heo Tae-jung and the political circles in the Daejeon region simultaneously issued welcoming messages to celebrate the success of Nuri's launch. In particular, Mayor Heo directly observed the launch process at the Naro Space Center in Goheung-gun, Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City, alongside figures such as Representative Hwang Jung-a (Democratic Party of Korea, Daejeon Yuseong-gu Eul), and stated, "We will continue to actively support the challenges of researchers and space companies, taking the lead in making South Korea a space powerhouse."

Daejeon Mayor Heo Tae-jung directly observed the launch process on the 7th at the Naro Space Center in Goheung-gun, Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City, stating, "We will continue to actively support the challenges of researchers and space companies, taking the lead in making South Korea a space powerhouse." According to the Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA) and the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) on the 7th, Nuri successfully launched by taking off at the exact scheduled time at 12:25 PM that day from the Naro Space Center in Goheung, Jeonnam. Hanwha Aerospace, which was in charge of overall Nuri manufacturing, oversaw the entire launch vehicle production process by manufacturing and supplying major parts, including the 75-ton class liquid engine. As private companies actively participate in the manufacturing and operation of launch vehicles—which had previously been led by government research institutes—evaluation shows that the private-sector transition of the space industry is accelerating.

In particular, a large number of Daejeon-based companies and research institutes participated in this launch, drawing significant attention.

Out of the 15 satellites launched—including "DaejeonSAT-1," jointly developed by the Daejeon Metropolitan Government and five local space companies, and 5 "NEONSAT" micro-cluster satellites developed by the KAIST Satellite Technology Research Center—11 were developed under the leadership of Daejeon companies, universities, and research institutes. In particular, "DaejeonSAT" is a satellite created through a public-private partnership project, with the Daejeon Metropolitan Government investing a total project cost of 5.4 billion won (3.6 billion won from city funds, 1.8 billion won from private matching funds) to strengthen the competitiveness of the local space industry. Mayor Heo Tae-jung, who watched the successful launch on-site, posted on his social media that afternoon, saying, "Aboard Nuri was the cube satellite 'DaejeonSAT-1,' led by the city of Daejeon and independently produced using the technology of five Daejeon space companies. The journey of South Korea's space technology development has been backed by the technology and dedication accumulated by countless researchers and companies in Daejeon."

He further promised, "We will continue to strive for the development of space technology and the training of expert talent, actively supporting the challenges of researchers and space companies to take the lead in making South Korea a space powerhouse." The Daejeon City Party of the Democratic Party of Korea also released a commentary, stating, "We celebrate the success of Nuri's 5th launch together with the citizens. The technology and experience accumulated by the Korea Aerospace Research Institute are passing on to private companies, solidifying South Korea's space industry ecosystem." They added, "This launch has served as an opportunity to once again reaffirm the R&D capabilities and technological prowess of Daejeon, which has supported South Korea's space industry."

They evaluated, "Among the 15 satellites launched this time, those with ties to Daejeon include 5 from KAIST, 1 DaejeonSAT, 1 from KARI, and 4 from Daejeon companies, totaling 11 satellites. Daejeon's long-accumulated R&D capabilities are bearing fruit as practical industrial achievements through the technological power of local companies." They also stated, "The Democratic Party's Daejeon City Party will spare no effort and support so that Daejeon can grow beyond South Korea's space R&D center into a core hub leading the global space industry."

[ⓒ Global Economic Times. 무단전재-재배포 금지]