Great success of launching Naro

  After 2 failures and 6 delays, Naro space rocket successfully blasted off at 4 P.M. on January 30th, 2013. KAIST Lunar Science Institute confirmed the first good connection with STSAT-2C early the next morning. A second contact had been also achieved about one and a half hours later since the first one entered into orbit successfully.
  The satellite is going to pass Korea 4 to 5 times a day. It is also going to move round the earth 1 time every 103 minutes and 14 times a day. The satellite is going to research accurate orbit measuring technology and observe the space environment for 1 year.
  With the successful launch of Naro, Korea joined the elite club of space technology leaders, the so called ‘Space club’, as the 11th member in the world. A requirement for a country entering the union is to launch their own space rocket involving their own satellite by their own technologies from their space center in their country. It has 10 member states: Russia, the United States, France, Japan, China, the United Kingdom, India, Israel, Iran, and North Korea. According to the Korea Industry Laboratory, Korea can increase the amount of export by 1,359 billion won and national promotion effects by 87.5 billion won.
  The successful launch of Naro meant that for the first time Korea had achieved technologies and research about space launch autonomously. Korea made a second stage rocket and satellite. Although the first stage rocket was made by Russia because we could not acquire core technologies, the Naro project generally received the positive reputation that Korea learned many technologies during 3 previous space rocket attempts. Moreover, it gained citizens’ interest and pride. However, there is the estimation that Naro is not an independent space.

What happened to Naro in the past?
  After the long rough journey, Korea succeeded in the launching of Naro on January 30th. However, there were many failures and delays before success. Kim Dae-jung’s government started the project in 2002. At that time, President Kim commanded Korea Aerospace Research Institute(KARI) to make progress in the Naro space rocket launch project.
  Naro finally attempted to launch on August 25th, 2009 for the first time after the 3 delays. However, it could not get into the orbit due to a problem with the ‘fairing’- a metal shield that protects the satellite while it is being launched. The fairing did not split apart even after the satellite reached its target orbit. It failed 9 minutes into the launch.
  The second attempt failed again after a delay on June 10th, 2010 when communication was cut off after 2 minutes and 17 seconds- earlier than the first launch. Many reasons for the failure were suggested, but a defective separation bolt for splitting the 2nd stage of the space rocket made by Russia was one of the most crucial factors in failure.
  Finally, the 3rd launch was stopped just 4 hours before it was due to launch by damaged components on October 26th, 2012. The second attempt of 3rd launch in the same year was also stopped 16 minutes ahead of launch because of an excess-current problem on September 29th. Naro, with an investment of 520.5 billion won, had lost public interest and received criticism from Koreans for continuous failure.

Is Korea going to be stronger in space industry?

  CBT have received the opinions from the experts about Korea’s future space industry which will be more developed from day to day as Korea already launched the Naro space rocket. We asked for an interview with Ryoo Chang-kyung(Prof. in Aerospace, Naval Architecture and Industrial Engineering, Inha University) and Kim Joo-nyun(Researcher, KARI).

■ Do you think Korea is investing in space industry properly?
  Prof. Ryoo: Korea’s amount invested in space development was about 230 billion won in 2011. This is 1/3 of the United Kingdom and Canada, 1/15 of Japan and China, and 1/200 of the United States. Korea’s investment is unreasonably not sufficient to catch up to those advanced countries.
  Researcher Kim: Most advanced countries involved in space development have invested and poured lots of money for lasting research since the 1950’s or 1960’s. Korea is comparatively at a primary level.

■ To catch up to other advanced countries in the space industry, what efforts does Korea need?
  Prof. Ryoo: As Korea is far behind from other developed countries, Korea needs much more active and aggressive investments to become powerful nation in space industry and coincident with Korea’s economic status.
  Researcher Kim: To foster the space industry, a will to develop space development by the government is required. Additionally, infrastructure is essential to back it up, and Korea actively has to train outstanding individuals.

■ What is your overall opinion about Naro?
  Prof. Ryoo: If we tried it alone, we would not have succeeded in launching the space rocket yet. What we have to see in the success of Naro is that we experienced all technologies about the launch vehicle rather than success itself. Core technologies through the development of Naro and its infrastructure will increase the possibilities of success for Korean launch vehicle development in the future.
  Researcher Kim: One of the biggest assets is that young Korean scientific technicians gained experiences when they launched space rocket involving satellite and secured high technologies quickly with the cooperation of Russia. In addition, except for first stage rocket, Korea accomplished most parts of Naro by Korean technologies. This will be the very foundation for development of Korea’s future space industry.

By Shin Jae-hyoung
jh32@cbnu.ac.kr