Gov't approves launch of S. Korea's first space rocket

By Lee Joon-seung
SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- The government on Tuesday officially approved the
launch of South Korea's first space rocket, which is expected to make the country
one of the few in the world to have sent a satellite into orbit independently.
The launch, tentatively scheduled for July 30, received approval from the
National Space Committee after experts reviewed all aspects of the flight plan
established by state-run Korea Aerospace Research Institute.
"If the launch is successful, South Korea will be the 10th country in the world
to launch a satellite from its soil using indigenous technology," an official at
the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology said.
He added the country is the 13th to have a dedicated space center and space
rocket launch facility.
Construction of the Naro Space Center in Goheung, about 475 kilometers south of
Seoul, is effectively complete and work is to begin soon to connect the
first-stage main thruster rocket with the second stage space vehicle. The latter
will have a nose fairing to carry the locally made scientific satellite into
space.
The main thruster was made in Russia, which gave support in designing the launch
pad. South Korean engineers were responsible for building the second stage rocket
and the satellite.
Once assembled, the Korea Space Launch Vehicle-1, or Naro Rocket, will weigh 140
tons, stand 33-meters tall and have a diameter of 3 meters.
It is designed to generate a thrust of 170 tons that will push the rocket into an
elliptical orbit between 300-1,500 kilometers above the surface of the Earth.
South Korea is expected to notify the International Maritime Organization and the
International Civil Aviation Organization of the launch to give notice to ships
and planes operating in the region on the launch date to prevent accidental
collisions.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)