South Korea to attempt new satellite launch

Seoul - South Korea is planning a new satellite launch in June after their first failed last year, the Ministry of Science said Monday in Seoul.

The KSLV-1 rocket is due to blast off June 9 from the Naro space center in the south of the country.

If the weather or unforeseen technical problems stop the lift-off, then the launch window is due to remain open until June 19.

The two-stage rocket, which was built with Russian help, is due to take a research satellite into Earth's orbit.

In August, the satellite on board the first South Korean rocket was lost shortly after launch because of technical problems and probably burned up in Earth's atmosphere.

South Korea would become the 10th country to send an artificial satellite from its own territory into orbit if the launch is successful.

The East Asian country said it plans to independently build a rocket by 2018 and send a probe to the moon by 2025.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/319454,south-korea-to-attempt-new-satellite-launch.html.