(EDITORIAL from the Korea Times on Aug. 21)

Another blastoff delay
It's time to ensure successful space rocket launch

South Korea had to delay its first space rocket liftoff for the seventh time on
Wednesday due to a minor glitch in the automatic launch system. The delay, the
fourth of its kind this year, shows that it is not easy for the nation to see its
dream of being a space power come true as quickly as possible. But, we don't have
to hang our head because the postponement does not necessarily mean a failure.
It's time to make more thorough preparations to ensure a successful blastoff of
the Korea Space Launch Vehicle-1 (KSLV-1).
More important is that the nation should accumulate technology and experience in
the process of launching of the space rocket which will carry a 100-kilogram
scientific satellite. Before talking about success or failure, we must discuss
how the country can achieve technological independence through the KSLV-1
project. Korea opened its own space center on a southern islet in June. It has
acquired advanced satellite technology since it made its first satellite in 1992.

However, the country still cannot assemble a space rocket on its own. That's why
South Korea struck a 250-billion-won deal with Russia in 2004 to jointly develop
the KSLV-1. The nation had hoped to acquire key space rocket technology from the
Russian side. But the space power has been reluctant to transfer this to Korea,
inviting criticism that Russia is experimenting on its next-generation space
rocket Angara by exploiting the deal.
Under the joint program, Russia's Khrunichev State Research and Production Space
Center has made the main first-stage rocket with a liquid fuel engine, while the
Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) has put together the second-stage
rocket. There has been no room for bilateral cooperation in assembling the first
part. Russia has only provided the assembled rocket to Korea, making it
impossible for Korean scientists and engineers to have access to any technology.
In this situation, the rocket blastoff is totally dependent on the Russian side.
It is no exaggeration to say that the Russians have the right to operate the
countdown. They have monopolized all the information and data on the rocket
launch. In case of a liftoff delay, Korean officials and engineers have to ask
the Russians, who have been dispatched to Korea's Naro Space Center, about what
the problem is. When the rocket launch was delayed last month, a question was
raised over the Russian-made RD-151 engine for the KSLV-1. The Russians
reportedly conducted combustion tests for the KSLV-1 by using a different version
??? RD-191 engine.
It might be naive for Korea to think of getting a technology transfer from Russia
through a partnership deal. The authorities should overhaul the cooperation
project in order not to repeat the same mistake. First of all, it is urgent for
the country to develop its own space rocket technology in order to join the ranks
of space powers. Without having such technology, the nation can never realize its
long-term goal of launching a locally-assembled KSLV-2 in 2018 and building a
moon probe in 2025.
(END)