South Korea: Satellite is missing immediately after launch

The South Korean government announced on August 26 that the scientific satellite attached to the country's first rocket had disappeared shortly after it was launched, and the cause of the problem was a malfunction in the satellite cover. .

The Ministry of Education - Science and Technology said that one of the two STSAT-2 satellite covers on the KSLV-1 missile had not peeled off the missile after being opened to prepare the satellite. Therefore, missiles do not achieve the speed needed to bring satellites into the expected orbit.

' These shells weigh 300 kilograms, three times the size of the STSAT-2 satellite, and it was unable to separate from the second floor of the rocket as expected, ' said Vice Minister of Science and Technology Kim Jung-hyun. . He also said that this weight has affected stability and direction control, causing missiles and satellites to be " disordered " and headed up instead of following a curve parallel to the Earth.

Before the separation, the satellite and the second floor of the missile had reached an altitude of 327 km, higher than the expected altitude of 302 km, then reached a height of 387 km.

' After reaching this height, the satellite fell to the ground and may have been destroyed when it returned to the atmosphere, ' said Vice Minister Kim, adding that it was difficult to find satellite fragments of 100 kg. this.

According to Kim, the speed that STSAT-2 achieved before falling to Earth is estimated at 6.2 km / sec, much slower than the 8 km / sec number needed to keep an object in orbit. Currently, Korea has officially called for satellite search.

Regarding the exact cause of the incident, Kim said he was working with Russian engineers to clarify things. However, he revealed that the fabrication of the satellite casing is due to Korea's responsibility.