The national space council approved the launch of the country’s first locally developed space rocket, called Nuri, in October.

According to the Ministry of Science and ICT on Thursday, the council deliberated on the launch approval, as well as preparations.

This comes after a 17-member panel of outside experts concluded that approving the launch would be appropriate based on a review of safety management and financial capacity to cover the expense of a possible accident.

While the Korea Aerospace Research Institute(KARI) has scheduled October 21 as the first launch date and May 19, 2022 for the second, a committee overseeing the launch will finalize the timetable next month.

Developed under a two-trillion-won, decade-long project, the 200-ton Nuri will carry a one-point-five-ton mock payload when launched in October, before carrying a 200-kilogram satellite and a one-point-three-ton dummy payload on May 19 next year.

In 2013, the country successfully launched its first Naro space rocket, though its first stage was built in Russia.