South Korea has reported technical problems occurring ahead of a planned launch of a large domestically made rocket.
The Korea Aerospace Research Institute said Tuesday it detected a problem for the first stage engine of the Nuri rocket as it prepared to take off from the Naro Space Center on the country’s southern coast at 5 p.m.
The center said that after close inspection, it will decide when to launch the rocket. But media reports say the launch could be delayed for up to two or three days.
The Nuri rocket is carrying the symbolic 110-kilogram satellite, named after the mythical bird Garuda, which is meant to monitor space debris. South Korea hopes the Nuri rocket will mark a milestone in the nation’s space exploration program.