All preparations were complete on Thursday for the third and last attempt to launch a homegrown space rocket. After the rocket, dubbed Naro, was fitted on the launch pad on Wednesday, final inspections were conducted on the first and second stages of the rocket in a simulated launch without fuel.

The Naro is scheduled to be launched between 3:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. Friday.

Officials in charge met at the Naro Space Center in Goheung, South Jeolla Province to check the rocket's condition following the final rehearsal and Friday’s weather forecast.

At 7 a.m. on Friday, the Korea Aerospace Research Institute and Ministry of Education, Science and Technology began preparing for the actual launch. The blastoff time will be announced at 1:30 p.m. If the launch proceeds as scheduled, success or failure will become evident 540 seconds after liftoff.

The first launch of the Naro rocket on Aug. 25, 2009 failed when one of the protective satellite covers known as the payload fairings failed to separate. In the second launch attempt on June 10, 2010, the rocket exploded 137.19 seconds after blastoff.