ISTANBUL

South Korea's domestically developed space rocket, Nuri, successfully lifted off from the Naro Space Center on Thursday local time, deploying 13 satellites in its fourth launch, according to space authorities.

Weighing 200 tons, the Nuri rocket launched from Goheung, a coastal village located 473 kilometers (nearly 294.52 miles) south of Seoul, at 1.13 am (1613GMT Wednesday), said the Korea Aerospace Administration (KASA) and the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI).

The launch was slightly delayed from its original time of 00:55 am (1555GMT Wednesday) to a sensor issue, according to Yonhap news agency.

The rocket completed its first-stage separation approximately two minutes after liftoff, and the second-stage four minutes and 30 seconds into the flight.

After reaching a target altitude of 600 kilometers (nearly 372.82 miles), Nuri deployed the CAS500-3, a next-generation medium-sized satellite, along with 12 cube satellites.

"The fourth launch of Nuri was successful," Science Minister Bae Kyung-hoon told a press briefing at the center, noting all satellites were put into the orbit.

"This was an important turning point in which the focus of the space ecosystem shifted to the private sector from the previous government-oriented approach," Bae added.

He mentioned that the government will make efforts to become one of the world's top five space powerhouses in an unwavering manner.

Yoon Young-bin, administrator of KASA, agreed with Bae, emphasizing Seoul’s plans to continue efforts to bolster South Korea's space exploration capabilities.

This was Nuri's first-ever nighttime launch.