What Happened
Nuri Rocket Achieves Fifth Successful Mission
South Korea achieved its first orbital launch of 2026 with a Nuri rocket, deploying 14 satellites into orbit. The mission carried five Micro-cluster Satellites for the New-space Earth Observation Satellite Constellation for National Safety (NEONSAT) network, which will monitor the Korean Peninsula and adjacent waters for national security and disaster response purposes. The launch was the 240th orbital launch attempt worldwide in 2026, contributing to a record pace. This development was first reported by an unknown source.