South Korea announces plans to explore planets as soon as 2017

William Atkins
Friday, 01 June 2007 20:56

Science - Space

Microsoft Office 365

The country plans to independently develop technologies to build satellites and rockets and to train over 3,000 space experts and specialists in its attempt to join an elite group of countries that independently send space travelers beyond the realm of Earth.

Currently, South Korea must rely on Russia and Israel for the design of their space vehicles. Its plan includes the research and development of ways to secure resources outside of the Earth for its country that is lacking in many vital natural materials. Korea also hopes to gain financially by being able to provide commercial space services to countries in need of spacecraft—similar to the position in which Korea is in today.

Korea hopes to enter into future international projects for the research and development of space, similar to the currently run International Space Station project of several countries including the United States, Russia, and Japan.

The Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) is South Korea’s aeronautics and space agency, similar to what NASA is to the United States. Its research headquarters is in Daejeon, a large city centrally located in South Korea.

Currently, the KARI is working on its first launcher, which is called KSLV (Korea Space Launch Vehicle). The first stage of the KSLV-I launch vehicle, which is propelled with liquid oxygen and kerosene, is built by the Russians, based on its design of the Angara rocket. The second stage, a solid fuel propellant, will be built by South Korea. Its maximum payload weight to low-Earth orbit (LEO) is 100 kilograms (220 pounds).

The Russians are also building Korea’s launch site, with its first launch scheduled for the end of 2007.

The website of KARI (in English) is: http://www.kari.re.kr/english/.