ID :
68260
Mon, 06/29/2009 - 18:16
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/68260
The shortlink copeid
Gov`t to conduct safety check for 1st space rocket launch
By Lee Joon-seung
SEOUL, June 29 (Yonhap) -- The government said Monday that it will conduct a
comprehensive safety check to determine preparedness and various contingency
plans for the country's first space rocket launch late next month.
The review meeting, chaired by Vice Science Minister Kim Jung-hyun, will open on
Tuesday, with 30 days remaining before the planned launch on July 30, the
government said.
It said officials and engineers will go over all aspects of the launch, ranging
from an inspection of the launch pad, emergency plans on the day of the blast off
to various "scenarios" to cope with weather conditions that can affect the
schedule.
South Korea started work on the Korea Space Launch Vehicle-1 (KSLV-1) project in
2002, with local scientists building the 100 kilogram scientific satellite and
second-stage solid fuel rocket.
The country has finished work on the Naro Space Center in Goheung, 485 km south
of Seoul that will launch future rockets and have acquired the main booster
rocket from Russia this month.
"Experts will also check the assembly progress of the Russian main booster to the
second stage rocket," an official said. The main booster, the second stage rocket
and satellite have all been moved to Naro and are currently being readied for
assembly.
The rocket, developed at a cost of 502.5 billion won (US$390.4 million) will
stand 33 meters tall, have a diameter of just under 3 meters and weigh 140 tons.
If the launch is successful, South Korea will become the 13th country to have
built and launched its own satellite and rocket from its own soil. In the past
the country sent into orbit 10 satellites using foreign rockets and overseas
launch pads.
Because the success rate of a first launch stands at around 27 percent, Seoul has
repeatedly delayed launch to ensure that there are no complications.
The government said that in case the rocket veers off course, it will be
destroyed by remote control to limit any serious damage. An identical KSLV-1
rocket that is being built with Russian cooperation is scheduled to be launched
in April 2010 as a backup to the first launch and to allow South Korea to gain
more experience.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)
SEOUL, June 29 (Yonhap) -- The government said Monday that it will conduct a
comprehensive safety check to determine preparedness and various contingency
plans for the country's first space rocket launch late next month.
The review meeting, chaired by Vice Science Minister Kim Jung-hyun, will open on
Tuesday, with 30 days remaining before the planned launch on July 30, the
government said.
It said officials and engineers will go over all aspects of the launch, ranging
from an inspection of the launch pad, emergency plans on the day of the blast off
to various "scenarios" to cope with weather conditions that can affect the
schedule.
South Korea started work on the Korea Space Launch Vehicle-1 (KSLV-1) project in
2002, with local scientists building the 100 kilogram scientific satellite and
second-stage solid fuel rocket.
The country has finished work on the Naro Space Center in Goheung, 485 km south
of Seoul that will launch future rockets and have acquired the main booster
rocket from Russia this month.
"Experts will also check the assembly progress of the Russian main booster to the
second stage rocket," an official said. The main booster, the second stage rocket
and satellite have all been moved to Naro and are currently being readied for
assembly.
The rocket, developed at a cost of 502.5 billion won (US$390.4 million) will
stand 33 meters tall, have a diameter of just under 3 meters and weigh 140 tons.
If the launch is successful, South Korea will become the 13th country to have
built and launched its own satellite and rocket from its own soil. In the past
the country sent into orbit 10 satellites using foreign rockets and overseas
launch pads.
Because the success rate of a first launch stands at around 27 percent, Seoul has
repeatedly delayed launch to ensure that there are no complications.
The government said that in case the rocket veers off course, it will be
destroyed by remote control to limit any serious damage. An identical KSLV-1
rocket that is being built with Russian cooperation is scheduled to be launched
in April 2010 as a backup to the first launch and to allow South Korea to gain
more experience.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)
