South Korea Satellite Launch Update!
Interceptor Shield Report
Nathan J Hunt
August 26, 2009
Although the launch last morning on August 25, 2009 of South Korea’s first indigenously built space launch vehicle was a partial success, South Korea Deputy science minister Kim Jung-Hyun has stated that the satellite failed to deploy when the covering over the satellite nose section did not deploy and fall away as expected and that the extra heavy weight of the satellite caused the rocket to steer at a higher angle that made the second stage not be able to reach a high enough attitude.
The satellite is believed to have burnt up on re-entry into the earth’s atmosphere. Despite the failure of the deployment of the satellite it should be noted that the test was a half success with the first and second stages successfully deploying in their stages and falling away, Staging of rocket sections is a tricky and complicated task and the fact that they were able to successfully complete the launching and staging of two stages on their space booster was an accomplishment. The main errors that prevented last morning test from being a truly successful test was the weight carrying issue in the second stage and the failure of deployment of the satellites aerodynamic protective nose cover.
South Korea and its partner Russia that is working alongside South Korea in the fielding of their space program will be assessing these findings and working to correct these errors.
