Seoul to set rocket launch date after data review: official

By Lee Joon-seung
SEOUL, Aug. 6 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will reset the launch date for its first
space rocket after vetting a technical problem with the rocket's main booster, a
senior government official said Thursday.
Citing a "technical issue" with the booster, Seoul has postponed the liftoff of
the Korea Space Launch Vehicle-1 (KSLV-1) for the second time in less than two
weeks. The launch was originally scheduled for July 30 but was pushed back to
Tuesday, which has been postponed again.
"Seoul is in the process of asking for and reviewing all data to clarify an
anomaly in a combustion test on the first-stage rocket of the KSLV-1 conducted
late last month in Russia, Vice Education, Science and Technology Minister Kim
Jung-hyun told reporters.
"The government needs to check all pertinent data carefully before taking the
next step."
South Korea, which has no experience in the launching of a space rocket capable
of carrying a satellite into orbit, has been working with Russia to build the
KSLV-1. Russia's Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center is
responsible for building and testing the main first stage rocket.
Kim said that once all the technical issues are cleared up, Seoul will hold a
meeting of its own experts that can help establish a definitive launch date that
have been rescheduled twice in the past few weeks.
Other officials said it is hard to tell when Russia will be able to provide the
data requested, adding that South Korea engineers in the country are currently
reviewing initial information supplied earlier in the week.
"Of the reams of data that were collected one anomaly was detected that
originally escaped notice and was found in the cross-checking process," a
official, who declined to be identified said.
Data collected through the fire test involves such information as duration of the
rocket generating thrust, heat, pressure, and vibration levels.
The rocket, developed at a cost of 502.5 billion won (US$410.6 million), stands
33 meters tall, has a diameter of just under 3 meters and weighs 140 tons.
The first stage main booster rocket made in Russia has a thrust of 170 tons,
while the smaller, second-stage can generate 8 tons of thrust and built locally.
The rocket is designed to put a 100kg scientific satellite into orbit.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
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