ID :
76977
Wed, 08/26/2009 - 10:36
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/76977
The shortlink copeid
) S. Korea's first space rocket launch fails to send satellite into orbit
(ROUNDUP(ATTN: UPDATES with more details, comments throughout)
By Lee Joon-seung
NARO SPACE CENTER, South Korea, Aug. 25 (Yonhap) -- South Korea failed to become
the 10th country in the world to send a satellite into correct orbit from its
soil after its first space rocket overshot its trajectory during Tuesday's
launch.
The Korea Space Launch Vehicle-1 (KSLV-1) that blasted off from the Naro Space
Center at 5 p.m. delivered its satellite payload far above its intended orbit,
despite successful ignition and separation of its first and second stage rockets,
the government said.
It said preliminary data placed the final satellite separation at around 342km,
compared to the 306km that was anticipated.
"There is a need to carefully examine all data related to the rocket launch and
satellite deployment," Education and Science Minister Ahn Byong-man told
reporters, adding that a joint panel made up of South Korean and Russian
engineers will look into the matter to discover the cause.
A formal announcement on the ongoing probe is expected out on Wednesday at 11:00
a.m.
He claimed that because the KSLV-1 functioned properly and reached space, the
rocket liftoff itself should be viewed as a "half-success," and that every effort
will be made to ensure the complete success in the next launch, slated for May
2010.
"Despite the satellite failing to reach proper orbit, South Korea has gained
valuable experience from the launch," the senior policymaker said.
The first stage liquid fueled rocket was made in Russia, but the second stage was
made in South Korea, along with the fairing assembly that housed the scientific
satellite.
Reflecting the need to take a positive view on the development, President Lee
Myung-bak called for renewed and redoubled efforts to advance the country's space
technology, calling the launch a "half success."
"We can say it was half successful, though the satellite failed to enter orbit,"
Lee said in a Cabinet meeting that began shortly after the rocket launch at 5
p.m.
"We must realize our dream of becoming a leading country in space technology,
even if it takes an eighth attempt after seven failures, or a ninth attempt after
eight failures," the president was quoted as saying by his spokesman.
KARI President Lee Joo-jin, in charge of the country's space program, said
efforts are underway to determine how the satellite separated beyond its intended
orbit trajectory.
"Since the 100kg scientific satellite does not have any on-board propulsion
systems, if it fails to enter proper orbit there is no way to correct its
trajectory," the expert said.
He declined to say whether the satellite was lost or if it went into orbit.
Related to the launch, an unidentified source at the Korea Advanced Institute of
Science and Technology (KAIST) said there is a chance that the fairings that
cover the satellite did not separate properly, which may have been the main cause
of the mishap.
Mission control said the fairings had successfully separated in the ascent.
KAIST, which made the satellite with KARI, said that there is a chance that the
satellite has been placed in a different orbit than originally intended. It said
ground controllers will try to make contact by determining its course.
"Even if the orbit is not correct, contact with the satellite can be made," an
expert said. If the satellite deployed its solar panels and generates power, the
search can go on for some time.
Others, like Kim Seung-jo, a professor mechanical and aerospace engineering at
Seoul National University, said the main goal of the launch was to determine if
the rocket worked.
"The rocket performed as designed, while failure to deploy the satellite in
proper orbit is more a mistake than an outright failure," he claimed.
South Korea spent 502.5 billion won (US$402.4 million) on the development of the
140t KSLV-1, which stands 33m tall and has a diameter of 2.9m. It also built the
scientific satellite.
The launch of the KSLV-1, also called the Naro-1, was delayed seven times, with
the last postponement taking place Wednesday, when the countdown was halted with
less than eight minutes on the countdown clock.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)
By Lee Joon-seung
NARO SPACE CENTER, South Korea, Aug. 25 (Yonhap) -- South Korea failed to become
the 10th country in the world to send a satellite into correct orbit from its
soil after its first space rocket overshot its trajectory during Tuesday's
launch.
The Korea Space Launch Vehicle-1 (KSLV-1) that blasted off from the Naro Space
Center at 5 p.m. delivered its satellite payload far above its intended orbit,
despite successful ignition and separation of its first and second stage rockets,
the government said.
It said preliminary data placed the final satellite separation at around 342km,
compared to the 306km that was anticipated.
"There is a need to carefully examine all data related to the rocket launch and
satellite deployment," Education and Science Minister Ahn Byong-man told
reporters, adding that a joint panel made up of South Korean and Russian
engineers will look into the matter to discover the cause.
A formal announcement on the ongoing probe is expected out on Wednesday at 11:00
a.m.
He claimed that because the KSLV-1 functioned properly and reached space, the
rocket liftoff itself should be viewed as a "half-success," and that every effort
will be made to ensure the complete success in the next launch, slated for May
2010.
"Despite the satellite failing to reach proper orbit, South Korea has gained
valuable experience from the launch," the senior policymaker said.
The first stage liquid fueled rocket was made in Russia, but the second stage was
made in South Korea, along with the fairing assembly that housed the scientific
satellite.
Reflecting the need to take a positive view on the development, President Lee
Myung-bak called for renewed and redoubled efforts to advance the country's space
technology, calling the launch a "half success."
"We can say it was half successful, though the satellite failed to enter orbit,"
Lee said in a Cabinet meeting that began shortly after the rocket launch at 5
p.m.
"We must realize our dream of becoming a leading country in space technology,
even if it takes an eighth attempt after seven failures, or a ninth attempt after
eight failures," the president was quoted as saying by his spokesman.
KARI President Lee Joo-jin, in charge of the country's space program, said
efforts are underway to determine how the satellite separated beyond its intended
orbit trajectory.
"Since the 100kg scientific satellite does not have any on-board propulsion
systems, if it fails to enter proper orbit there is no way to correct its
trajectory," the expert said.
He declined to say whether the satellite was lost or if it went into orbit.
Related to the launch, an unidentified source at the Korea Advanced Institute of
Science and Technology (KAIST) said there is a chance that the fairings that
cover the satellite did not separate properly, which may have been the main cause
of the mishap.
Mission control said the fairings had successfully separated in the ascent.
KAIST, which made the satellite with KARI, said that there is a chance that the
satellite has been placed in a different orbit than originally intended. It said
ground controllers will try to make contact by determining its course.
"Even if the orbit is not correct, contact with the satellite can be made," an
expert said. If the satellite deployed its solar panels and generates power, the
search can go on for some time.
Others, like Kim Seung-jo, a professor mechanical and aerospace engineering at
Seoul National University, said the main goal of the launch was to determine if
the rocket worked.
"The rocket performed as designed, while failure to deploy the satellite in
proper orbit is more a mistake than an outright failure," he claimed.
South Korea spent 502.5 billion won (US$402.4 million) on the development of the
140t KSLV-1, which stands 33m tall and has a diameter of 2.9m. It also built the
scientific satellite.
The launch of the KSLV-1, also called the Naro-1, was delayed seven times, with
the last postponement taking place Wednesday, when the countdown was halted with
less than eight minutes on the countdown clock.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)
