South Korea aims to fly postponed solid-fuel rocket before year-end

South Korea's defense ministry announced that it will seek to launch the solid-propellant Mir rocket before the year closes, after the June 30 attempt was aborted because of safety concerns identified in the final launch phases. The rocket was to lift off from the southern coast of Jeju Island, but a series of issues forced the cancellation. The ministry reports that a comprehensive inspection of technical systems has been finished and final preparations are in progress, though the exact launch window will be set based on weather and readiness.

This mission would represent the first test of the rocket as a complete four-stage vehicle, building on partial three-stage tests conducted in 2022 and 2023. South Korea has been developing solid-fuel launch capability since 2021 to enhance independent spy-satellite deployment against North Korean threats. The last launch of a similar vehicle occurred in December 2023, and future missions aim to place microsatellites for surveillance.