The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology yesterday approved the launch of Korea`s first space rocket, slated to carry a Korean-made satellite into orbit in late July.
The ministry held the national committee on space to endorse the application by the Korea Aerospace Research Institute for the launch of Naro, also known as Korea Space Launch Vehicle-1.
Korea has been striving to become the ninth country in the world to launch an indigenously built satellite from its own soil.
Through a judging committee consisting of space experts and officials from Korea Science and Engineering Foundation, the ministry has examined various factors, including the purpose of the space rocket, safety management and insurance-related matters, the ministry said.
KARI has been conducting final tests on mock-ups of the KSLV-1 rocket, which will be assembled next month at the Naro Space Center in Goheung, South Jeolla Province.
The two-stage rocket has been jointly developed by Russia`s Khrunichev State Space Science and Production Center and KARI.
The liquid-fuel lower part of the rocket has been developed by the Khrunichev center. The solid-fuel upper part has been developed by the Korea Aerospace Research Institute.
The second stage will carry a 100-kilogram satellite, which has been developed by the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology and the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology. The Science and Technology Satellite 2, which is to be put into a low earth orbit, has a two-year lifespan.
The lower part will be delivered to Korea from Russia early this month and be put together with the upper part next month.
The KSLV-1 weighs 140 tons, measures 33.5 meters in length and 2.9 meters in diameter. It will have a thrust of 170 tons.
The country plans to launch a 1.5 ton multi-purpose commercial satellite on a fully indigenous rocket, named KSLV-2, possibly in 2018.
By Song Sang-ho
(sshluck@heraldm.com
[출처 : 코리아헤럴드]
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