"Fly High": Cheers Erupt at Observatory as Nuri Cuts Through the Sky

"I can't believe I am seeing this historic moment with my own eyes."

As South Korea's space launch vehicle Nuri soared into the sky at 12:25 p.m. today (the 7th), gasps and cheers burst out simultaneously across the Space Launch Observatory in Goheung-gun, Jeollanam-do.

When the countdown began, voices chanting "10, 9, 8, 7..." overlapped throughout the observatory, and as the numbers decreased, hands holding cell phones and gazes focused entirely on a single launch pad.

As the final number ended, red flames spread from beneath the launch pad, and Nuri sprang upward as if kicking off the ground amid a roaring sound, prompting shouts of "Wow!" and "There it goes!" from everywhere.

Visitors tilted their heads back simultaneously, following Nuri as it rapidly gained altitude, and with flushed expressions, they could not easily tear their eyes away until the launch vehicle shrank to a dot and disappeared from view.

From citizens chasing Nuri by zooming in on their smartphone screens to photographers setting up cameras equipped with large telephoto lenses on tripods, and visitors keeping binoculars glued to their eyes, all gazes were directed at the sky together.

Children held in their parents' arms or riding on their shoulders pointed at the sky with their fingers, continuously gasping in admiration and moving their heads back and forth along Nuri's trajectory.

Even after Nuri disappeared from sight, visitors gazed at the sky where the launch vehicle had passed, re-checked the videos they had just filmed on their phones, and continued their excitement by sharing impressions of the launch moment with people around them.

Whenever flight conditions were broadcast in real time through the media, visitors peered into their phones and listened intently to the news with tense expressions.

Then, as news of the successful entry into the target orbit and satellite separation was delivered one after another, cheers erupted again in various places, and some were seen looking at each other and smiling or letting out sighs of relief.

This marks the first time Nuri has been launched during daytime hours, and unlike previous launches, it headed into the sky right on schedule without any delays.

Kim, an 18-year-old high school senior who visited the observatory with his parents ahead of the CSAT (college entrance exam), said, "My head was complicated because of thoughts about the exam, but seeing Nuri rise powerfully made me forget my worries for a moment. It made me think that I, too, want to hang in there until the end and rise to where I want to be."

Photographer Park, 58, who had secured a spot from early in the morning to take pictures of the launch vehicle, shared, "While capturing it in photos is important, I only captured the moment of launch on camera and watched it fly away with my own eyes. Feeling the flames, the sound, and the cheers of the people around me all at once gave me chills all over my body."

Hundreds of people also gathered at Namyeol Beach, another popular viewing spot, to watch Nuri's fifth flight together.

A family from Sejong who visited the beach with their five daughters said, "We came all the way to Goheung last year to watch the launch, but the schedule was delayed, so we went back only with disappointment. We are even happier this time to be able to see Nuri actually take flight with the children before leaving."


※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.