S. Korea's ready to launch first space rocket

By Lee Joon-seung
GOHEUNG, South Korea, June 11 (Yonhap) -- South Korea officially unveiled its
first space center on Thursday that will help the country launch satellite-laden
rockets into orbit.

The Naro Space Center, located 485 km south of Seoul, covers 5.07 million square
meters and was built at a cost of 312.4 billion won (US$250.1 million), the
state-run Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) said.
The sprawling complex will play a pivotal role in the country's future rocket
development and space exploration program and is equipped with a state-of-the-art
mission director center, flight safety control facilities and launch pad.
Naro on the southern coast also houses a meteorological observatory, radar and
optical tracking systems to follow the trajectory of all rockets launched, and a
rocket assembly facility that can help local engineers develop liquid fuel main
booster engines.
President Lee Myung-bak who was present for the opening ceremony said the
government is committed to expanding a national space program that can become a
source of national competitiveness and growth.
"The world economy is suffering and our economy is no exception, but we cannot
give up the future just because current conditions are difficult," he said.
The president said that in the last century, countries that controlled the sea
and air ruled the world, but in the 21st century those that effectively make use
of space will become leading countries.
Lee, in addition, said that Seoul will concentrate its resources to become one of
the seventh leading space exploration countries within the decade.
KARI director Lee Joo-jin echoed the president's remarks on expanding the space
program and pointed out the country has come a long way since 1995 when it
started developing its first multipurpose satellite.
"At that time foreign experts said that it would be a miracle for South Korea to
build a satellite, but we have shown over and over again that we could achieve
the impossible," he said.
He stressed that the goal that lies in front of the country is to build a fully
indigenous space rocket that can carry 10 times the payload of the Korea Space
Launch Vehicle-1 (KSLV-1) within the next nine years.
The KSLV-1 is scheduled to be launched from the Naro center on July 30, and built
with Russian cooperation.
KARI meanwhile said that the successful launch of the rocket will make South
Korea the 13th member of the so-called "space club" comprising countries that
currently operate space centers and can send satellites into orbit using
indigenous rockets.
The KSLV-1 also called the Naro-1 cost 502.5 billion won to build. It stands 33
meters tall, has a diameter of 3 meters and is capable of 170 ton thrust with the
main booster engine that can send the 100 kilogram scientific satellite into
orbit.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
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