The erector is lowered from the Korea Space Launch Vehicle-II (KSLV-II), also called Nuri, on the launch pad at Naro Space Center in Goheung, South Jeolla Province, southwestern South Korea. Photo by YONHAP / EPA
June 29 (Asia Today) — South Korea’s space agency released guidelines Monday for private companies seeking to use the Naro Space Center, beginning preparations for the country’s first dedicated commercial launch facilities.
The Korea AeroSpace Administration said the guidelines outline a four-stage consultation and approval process, methods for calculating fees and safety and security requirements.
They also establish procedures and fee standards for private companies seeking to use testing facilities at the space center in Goheung, South Jeolla Province.
The government plans to open the commercial launch site in two stages, beginning in the third quarter of 2027 and expanding it in the first quarter of 2031.
The first stage will include a mobile launch platform, propellant supply systems and launch control equipment.
The second stage will add an assembly and testing facility where companies can prepare launch vehicles and test payloads.
The expanded infrastructure is expected to accommodate commercial launch vehicles and eventually support reusable launch systems.
Companies seeking to conduct a launch at Naro must apply at least four months before their proposed launch date.
They will then undergo four stages: preliminary consultation, review and authorization, launch operations and post-launch procedures.
The guidelines also establish a system for calculating usage fees based on each company’s launch requirements and the facilities and services it uses.
An agency official said the guidelines were prepared to help private companies use the center systematically before the commercial launch site opens and South Korea continues launches of its domestically developed Nuri rocket.
The official said the government will seek to simplify procedures based on companies’ needs and establish reasonable usage fees.
South Korean launch companies have relied on overseas spaceports and sea-based platforms because the country has lacked a land-based commercial launch site available to private operators.
Opening the Naro facilities could allow companies to conduct more of the development process in South Korea, from ground testing to commercial launches.
“Opening the Naro Space Center to private use goes beyond simply granting access to a government facility,” said Taeseog Oh, administrator of the Korea AeroSpace Administration.
“It is meaningful because it strengthens the support system for private companies in the space industry,” Oh said. “We will continue providing support so a private-sector-led commercial space ecosystem can take root in a stable manner.”
The Naro Space Center has primarily supported government launch programs, including the Naro rocket and Nuri, South Korea’s first domestically developed space launch vehicle.
Nuri’s fourth launch took place in November 2025, with private company Hanwha Aerospace assuming a larger role in rocket production and assembly under a government technology-transfer program.
The opening of the commercial facilities is expected to further shift South Korea’s space industry from a government-led model toward one in which private companies develop and operate launch services.
The guidelines released Monday are scheduled to be submitted to the Korea Aerospace Research Institute’s board for approval on July 8 before being registered as internal operating rules.
— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI
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