Visiting Naro Space Center,
he monitors the situation and encourages researchers

 

On Tuesday, January 20, Ahn Byong-man, the Minister of Education, Science and Technology, visited the Naro Space Center, which is under development in Goheung, South Jeolla Province. Ahn checked the current state of the project, which will send the Korea Space Launch Vehicle-1 (KSLV-1) into space. The launch is scheduled for this year, and Ahn encouraged various officials, especially the researchers.

The Naro Space Center¡¯s aim is to launch the domestically developed Science and Technology Satellite 2, using the KSLV-1 launch vehicle, from the launch site in Korea. To that end, the Korean government has pushed ahead with the construction of the spaceport and the development of the launch vehicle since 2000.

With the installation complete, the launch pad system is now undergoing performance testing. The upper part of the launch vehicle, which was developed in Korea in August 2008, is undergoing tests. Another component being developed in Russia will be handed over to Korea and combined with the launch pad two months prior to the launch. Development of the Science and Technology Satellite 2 was completed in 2007 and the satellite is now undergoing inspection and management towards the final launch. It will carry out missions such as research on the atmospheric environment in space and detailed measurement of satellite orbits.

Declaring that 2009 will mark a milestone in the history of Korean space exploration, the Minister spoke highly of the hard work by Russia, the Korea Aerospace Research Institute and other local companies involved in the performance test of the launch pad, which will be the key to a successful satellite launch. Meanwhile, he asked for increased effort by all researchers for thorough safety and performance testing of the launch pad system, given that this is the first time for Korea to launch the vehicle (KSLV-1) and that the success rate is extremely low, even for advanced nations, in the early stages.

Through the KSLV-1 project, Korea has independently developed core technologies in the launch vehicle sector, in areas such as solid engines, inertial navigation, aviation safety, on-board electronics systems, and acquired technologies in areas such as design, assembly, and launch operations in cooperation with Russia. In particular, the comprehensive cryogenic launch pad system served as an opportunity to take the technology to a higher level through the successful localization of all processes, including design, construction, and rocket tests. Since research institutes like KAIST and other universities participated in the Science and Technology Satellite 2 project, it is considered to be not only a project that contributed to space science, but nurtured professionals in this field as well.

The government plans to step up its efforts to develop domestic technologies in space exploration using this satellite launch project, the first of its kind in Korea. It will also invest more in launch vehicle and satellite development through a strategy of ¡®choice and concentration¡¯. It will also attempt to localize satellite bus and core technologies and find opportunities to enter into overseas satellite imagery markets by encouraging private sector participation in satellite development.