ID :
75558
Sun, 08/16/2009 - 10:09
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https://oananews.org//node/75558
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(News Focus) Rocket marks milestone in S. Korean space exploration history
By Lee Joon-seung
SEOUL, Aug. 16 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's first space rocket is expected to mark a
milestone in the country's budding space exploration ambitions, which the
government says include building a lunar lander within the next 20 years.
The Korea Space Launch Vehicle-1 (KSLV-1), set to blast off Wednesday afternoon,
has given the country first-hand experience in designing, building and testing
powerful space rockets, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology said.
It said if the launch is successful, Seoul could join the ranks of the exclusive
"space club" -- countries that operate launch facilities and build satellites
sent into orbit using locally assembled rockets.
The KSLV-1, standing 33m tall with a diameter of 2.9m, can generate 170 tons of
thrust and lift a 100kg satellite into orbit.
Seoul has spent 502.5 billion won (US$406.5 million) since 2002 to build the
rocket and learn related technologies.
The first-stage main rocket was built in Russia with no sharing of technology,
but 150 South Korean engineers worked side-by-side with their Russian
counterparts for almost two years on the design and systems development.
"Critics have said that South Korea still cannot make a powerful rocket engine on
its own, but what may be more important is that local engineers now know how a
rocket is built from scratch," said Moon Hai-joo, a senior science ministry
official. This, he claimed, could be a greater asset than simply acquiring
rocket-engine technology as the country prepares to build an entirely South
Korean-made space rocket by 2018 and a probe that can orbit the moon by 2025.
He stressed no country currently shares space exploration-related technologies
and know-how, making it doubly hard to see how they design new rockets.
Related to South Korea's potential in this sector, experts said local
capabilities are roughly at 70-75 percent of the level of leaders in the overall
rocket sector, while the country's capabilities in the critical engine area stand
at 60-70 percent of the level achieved by countries like the United States and
Russia.
Despite such shortcomings, the KSLV-1 can be viewed as an important
stepping-stone for the country, experts said.
"The rocket should be thought of as laying the foundation for all future
development," said Chae Yeon-seok, vice president of Young Astronauts Korea, a
state-supported organization dedicated to promoting young people's interest in
space exploration.
The aerospace expert said that while South Korea started development 40 years
later than others, it has shown its engineering prowess by launching the 17-ton
thrust Korea Sounding Rocket-3 rocket in 2002 without any foreign assistance.
"Such a feat is not easy, and if local engineers have learned from their Russian
partners and there is adequate funding, the country could make great strides," he
said. Chae added that what the country needs the most is to construct an
up-to-date engine test facility to see if locally made rocket engines meet
operational requirements.
The state-run Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI), which is responsible for
the country's space program, said besides learning the entire process of how a
rocket is made, local engineers built the second stage rocket and the nose
fairing to house the satellite.
It said that while work was being carried out with Russia in the past few years,
Seoul almost completed work on a 30-ton thrust engine and started initial design
work on a 75-ton thrust rocket.
KARI said another benefit reaped from the KSLV-1 was the construction of the Naro
Space Center at Oenarodo Island off South Korea's southern coast. The center,
485km south of Seoul, has state-of-the-art facilities that can be used to launch
rockets and satellites.
South Korea has sent 10 satellites into space, with nine more to be sent by 2015.
Plans are underway to build an indigenous rocket by 2018, a probe that can orbit
the moon by 2020 and a lunar lander by 2025.
"On average, a satellite may be sent up every year, and if such machines can be
sent by indigenous rockets, it could save the country money and expense," a KARI
engineer said.
Other benefits that can be derived by the successful launch of the KSLV-1 are
growth in the country's science and technology levels, national defense and
prestige.
A country with rocket-launch capability can build and send its own intelligence
satellite without concerns that sensitive technology may fall into the wrong
hands.
Besides the aerospace field, a successful launch and more support for the sector
can lead to positive spin-offs in technology that can be used by local
businesses.
Technologies for many common products like digital cameras, mobile phones, car
navigation systems and water filters were originally developed for space
exploration.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)
SEOUL, Aug. 16 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's first space rocket is expected to mark a
milestone in the country's budding space exploration ambitions, which the
government says include building a lunar lander within the next 20 years.
The Korea Space Launch Vehicle-1 (KSLV-1), set to blast off Wednesday afternoon,
has given the country first-hand experience in designing, building and testing
powerful space rockets, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology said.
It said if the launch is successful, Seoul could join the ranks of the exclusive
"space club" -- countries that operate launch facilities and build satellites
sent into orbit using locally assembled rockets.
The KSLV-1, standing 33m tall with a diameter of 2.9m, can generate 170 tons of
thrust and lift a 100kg satellite into orbit.
Seoul has spent 502.5 billion won (US$406.5 million) since 2002 to build the
rocket and learn related technologies.
The first-stage main rocket was built in Russia with no sharing of technology,
but 150 South Korean engineers worked side-by-side with their Russian
counterparts for almost two years on the design and systems development.
"Critics have said that South Korea still cannot make a powerful rocket engine on
its own, but what may be more important is that local engineers now know how a
rocket is built from scratch," said Moon Hai-joo, a senior science ministry
official. This, he claimed, could be a greater asset than simply acquiring
rocket-engine technology as the country prepares to build an entirely South
Korean-made space rocket by 2018 and a probe that can orbit the moon by 2025.
He stressed no country currently shares space exploration-related technologies
and know-how, making it doubly hard to see how they design new rockets.
Related to South Korea's potential in this sector, experts said local
capabilities are roughly at 70-75 percent of the level of leaders in the overall
rocket sector, while the country's capabilities in the critical engine area stand
at 60-70 percent of the level achieved by countries like the United States and
Russia.
Despite such shortcomings, the KSLV-1 can be viewed as an important
stepping-stone for the country, experts said.
"The rocket should be thought of as laying the foundation for all future
development," said Chae Yeon-seok, vice president of Young Astronauts Korea, a
state-supported organization dedicated to promoting young people's interest in
space exploration.
The aerospace expert said that while South Korea started development 40 years
later than others, it has shown its engineering prowess by launching the 17-ton
thrust Korea Sounding Rocket-3 rocket in 2002 without any foreign assistance.
"Such a feat is not easy, and if local engineers have learned from their Russian
partners and there is adequate funding, the country could make great strides," he
said. Chae added that what the country needs the most is to construct an
up-to-date engine test facility to see if locally made rocket engines meet
operational requirements.
The state-run Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI), which is responsible for
the country's space program, said besides learning the entire process of how a
rocket is made, local engineers built the second stage rocket and the nose
fairing to house the satellite.
It said that while work was being carried out with Russia in the past few years,
Seoul almost completed work on a 30-ton thrust engine and started initial design
work on a 75-ton thrust rocket.
KARI said another benefit reaped from the KSLV-1 was the construction of the Naro
Space Center at Oenarodo Island off South Korea's southern coast. The center,
485km south of Seoul, has state-of-the-art facilities that can be used to launch
rockets and satellites.
South Korea has sent 10 satellites into space, with nine more to be sent by 2015.
Plans are underway to build an indigenous rocket by 2018, a probe that can orbit
the moon by 2020 and a lunar lander by 2025.
"On average, a satellite may be sent up every year, and if such machines can be
sent by indigenous rockets, it could save the country money and expense," a KARI
engineer said.
Other benefits that can be derived by the successful launch of the KSLV-1 are
growth in the country's science and technology levels, national defense and
prestige.
A country with rocket-launch capability can build and send its own intelligence
satellite without concerns that sensitive technology may fall into the wrong
hands.
Besides the aerospace field, a successful launch and more support for the sector
can lead to positive spin-offs in technology that can be used by local
businesses.
Technologies for many common products like digital cameras, mobile phones, car
navigation systems and water filters were originally developed for space
exploration.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)
