Korea will launch the satellite after two failed attempts

Korea hopes to successfully launch a satellite into space on October 26 in a third attempt to join the group of Asian powers that master this technology, including China, Japan and India.

After two failed launches in 2009 and 2010, missiles pushing 140 tons of Korea Space Launch Vehicle (KSLV-I) will have a third departure at the Naro space center, the southern coast of Korea.

If successful, this will be a great encouragement for Korea, very determined to join the high-tech and expensive world exploring the universe and selling satellite programs to other countries.

Seoul's space ambitions were restricted for many years by the main US military ally, fearing that space service rocket programs could cause a regional military race, especially from the DPRK.

Korea's space research budget in 2012 was about US $ 200 million, according to the country's Ministry of Science, only a fraction of the billions of dollars that have been poured into the industry by Beijing, Tokyo and New governments. Delhi.

The satellite-carrying rocket is prepared to be put on the launch pad. (Source: AFP)

In a recent document for the Foreign Relations Council, James Moltz, a professor at the US Naval Postgraduate Training School, said Korea has no choice but to pursue expensive pre-emptive strategies. .

'As a small power, Seoul must invest a greater proportion of its resources in space activities if it hopes to have a sustainable position among the larger Asian powers and has many years of experience. decades ahead of them , 'Moltz said.

Japan and China launched the first satellites in 1970 while India reached a breakthrough in 1980.

However, lack of support from the US, South Korea, Asia's fourth-largest economy, is lagging behind.

Not long after joining the Rocket Technology Program in 2001, Korea cooperated with Russia as a research partner in space relations, although the relationship was not very smooth. After two previous failures, the KSLV-1 rocket was used in the October 26 launch with the first stage produced in Russia, combined with the second part powered by self-made solid fuel in Korea.

In 2009, missiles entered orbit but could not be separated as planned to deploy operational satellites. The second attempt in 2010 was worse when the rocket exploded after only two minutes of takeoff and Russia and South Korea mutually criticized the other part of the error.

Whatever the outcome on October 26, Korea confirmed that it will continue to develop liquid-fueled three-stage missiles that can carry 1.5-ton warheads and attempt to put it into orbit from now on. 2021.

'Whether the third launch is successful or not, Korea's satellite launch project will be accelerated and more motivated , ' Science Minister Lee Ju Ho told journalists for the week. this. 'After that, we will actively develop and expand the global market presence for commercial launches so that we can receive orders from abroad to produce satellites and launch them with missiles due to them. I produced '.

Chae Yeon Seok, a scientist at the Korean Space Research Institute, said Korea had no choice but to pursue its own technologies."We have to develop our own space missiles and gather information because no country in the world wants to share crucial information related to space technology ," Chae told AFP.

While costs may be large, Chae stressed that the research will bring many technological benefits, both commercial and civil, as well as reinforce Korea's position in the international arena.

North Korea will not be satisfied if South Korea launches the satellite successfully and Pyongyang has long accused the international community of behaving two standards when it also sought to develop nuclear-missile technology. North Korea conducted a failed test launch in April. Many accused it of disguised ballistic missile testing, but North Korea denied it.

The KSLV-1 rocket will carry a small 100kg satellite, Science and Technology Satellite-2C (Science and Technology Satellite 2C, STSAT-2C) developed by the Korea Modern Science and Technology Institute. . The satellite has a life of one year and the main goal is to gather information about cosmic radiation.