S.Korea’s second space rocket launch successfully puts satellites in orbit
By Josh Smith and Hyonhee Shin
SEOUL (Reuters) -South Korea’s second check launch of its domestically produced Nuri rocket efficiently positioned a number of satellites in orbit on Tuesday, officers stated, taking a significant step in efforts to jumpstart its area programme after a primary check failed final 12 months.
The rocket lifted off from Naro House Heart on the southern coast of South Korea at 4 p.m. (0700 GMT). A 162.5-kg (358 lb)satellite tv for pc designed to confirm the rocket’s efficiency efficiently made contact with a base station in Antarctica after coming into orbit, officers stated.
The rocket additionally efficiently positioned a 1.3-ton dummy satellite tv for pc and 4 small dice satellites developed by universities for analysis, into orbit.
“The sky of the Korean universe is now large open,” Science and ICT Minister Lee Jong-ho informed a briefing. “Our science and expertise has made nice strides.”
The three-stage KSLV-II Nuri rocket, designed by the Korea Aerospace Analysis Institute (KARI) to finally put 1.5-ton payloads into orbit 600 to 800 km (370 to 500 miles) above the Earth, is a cornerstone of the nation’s bold targets for 6G networks, spy satellites, and even lunar probes.
It makes use of solely Korean rocket applied sciences, and is the nation’s first domestically constructed area launch automobile. South Korea’s final booster, launched in 2013 after a number of delays and several other failed exams, was collectively developed with Russia.
President Yoon Suk-yeol watched the launch from his workplace and thanked everybody concerned as he was briefed by Lee and others in regards to the success, vowing to maintain an election pledge to create a brand new company to take cost of area affairs, in line with an announcement by his workplace.
“Now the highway to area from our land has been opened,” Yoon stated. “It was the product of 30 years of daunting challenges. To any extent further, the desires and hopes of our individuals and our youth will lengthen into area.”
In Nuri’s first check in October, the rocket accomplished its flight sequences however didn’t put the check payload into orbit after its third-stage engine burned out sooner than deliberate.
Engineers adjusted the helium tank inside Nuri’s third-stage oxidizer tank to handle that drawback, Yonhap information company reported.
KARI has stated it plans not less than 4 extra check launches by 2027. Nuri is vital to South Korean plans to finally construct a Korean satellite-based navigation system and a 6G communications community. The nation additionally plans to launch a spread of navy satellites, however officers deny the Nuri has any use as a weapon.
South Korea can also be working with the USA on a lunar orbiter, and hopes to land a probe on the moon by 2030.
After Tuesday’s profitable launch, the U.S. Embassy in Seoul stated on Twitter it’s wanting ahead to U.S.-South Korea cooperation in area.
House launches have lengthy been a delicate situation on the Korean peninsula, the place North Korea faces sanctions over its nuclear-armed ballistic missile programme.
In March, South Korea’s navy individually oversaw what it stated was its first profitable launch of a solid-fuel space-launch rocket, one other a part of its plans to launch spy satellites.
In recent times, South Korea and the USA agreed to scrap bilateral limits on Seoul’s missile and rocket improvement, clearing the way in which for brand spanking new civilian and navy launches.
(Reporting by Josh Smith and Hyonhee Shin, Modifying by William Maclean and Bradley Perrett)
