Fifth Nuri rocket launch set for 12:25 p.m. on the 7th

The launch time for the fifth Nuri rocket, South Korea's launch vehicle, was set for 12:25 p.m. on the 7th.

The Korea AeroSpace Administration and the Korea Aerospace Research Institute held a Nuri launch management committee meeting at 8 a.m. that day. The committee determined Nuri's final launch time.

After moving from the assembly building to the launch pad on the 6th, Nuri underwent work to connect the umbilical that supplies fuel and electricity. Additional work, including connecting the initiator for umbilical separation and removing components unnecessary for flight, was completed at 11:30 p.m. on the 6th.

At the briefing announcing the launch time, space agency chief Oh Tae-seok said checks of sensors and equipment on the launch vehicle and launch pad had been underway since 5 a.m. on the 7th. He said preparations were proceeding on schedule and no technical problems had occurred up to that point.

The average wind speed observed at Naro Space Center was 2 m per second, with a peak gust speed of 5 m per second. These readings met the launch limits for ground winds around the launch pad: an average of no more than 15 m per second and peak gusts of no more than 21 m per second. Observations also indicated that space conditions associated with solar activity were not at a level that would affect the launch.

The prelaunch loading schedule called for kerosene fuel loading to begin around 9:40 a.m. and liquid oxygen oxidizer loading around 10:15 a.m. Each operation was expected to take about 70 minutes.

Nuri is scheduled to switch to automatic operation at 12:15 p.m., 10 minutes before launch, and check the launch vehicle's condition itself. The sequence calls for the onboard computer to enter a liftoff-ready state 10 seconds before launch, followed by first-stage engine ignition four seconds before launch and release of the hold-down mechanism once normal thrust is reached.