S. Korea's homegrown rocket on track for October launch

SEOUL, March 25 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's plan to launch its first homegrown rocket later this year is on a roll after researchers successfully conducted the final combustion test for its main first-stage engines, the science ministry said Thursday. The Ministry of Science and ICT said the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) successfully ran the third and final test for the four 75-ton liquid engines of the 200-ton rocket, named Nuri, at the Naro Space Center in Goheung, 473 kilometers south of Seoul. Local researchers will now test the locally developed three-stage rocket's launch pad until July and complete assembly of the rocket's flight model before its planned launch with a mock payload in October. Nuri's second launch, which aims to carry a 1.5-ton satellite, is slated for May next year. South Korea has been seeking to develop a homegrown space launch vehicle since 2010, earmarking nearly 2 trillion won (US$1.8 billion). While the country launched its two-stage Naro rocket in 2013, its first stage was built in Russia. Nuri has suffered setbacks in development, such as changes in the first stage's assembly process and delays in acquiring parts, prompting South Korea last year to push back its launch originally set for February. yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr (END)