hankyoreh

4 a.m. Aug 26.

satellite launched by South Korea’s first space rocket Nahro (KSLV-1) has been presumed to have burned up in the Earth’s atmosphere just moments after entering space. The satellite’s failure to enter the designated orbit was due to the defective operation of a fairing covering the satellite. One of the two fairings, the covers that protect the satellite, was not separated from the satellite in a timely manner.

There have been allegations that the committee in charge of management of the launch and Chairman Kim Joong-hyun, vice minister for Education and Science Ministry have hid the fact that a fairing didn’t seprated from the satellite properly.

The Vice Minister of Education and Science Kim Joong-hyun announced on Aug 26 at a press briefing held at Nahro Space Center in Goheung, “We succeeded in the separation during the first and second stages of the rocket and the separation of satellite, but failed to place the satellite into orbit due to the defective operation of the fairing seperation.” He added, “the satellite fell to Earth and was probably destroyed as it re-entered the atmosphere.”

This explanation differs from the official announcement that took place just after the launching. At that time they reported that the separation of fairings was completed. It was also confirmed on Wednesday that there was no signal for the separation of fairings on the instrument board of control room on the day of the launch. An official of the ministry said, “we did not announce it because the defective separation of the fairing was not confirmed.”

In the joint inspection by South Korea and Russia, one of the two fairings that failed to separate from the second-stage quick motor was considered to be the main cause of failing to place the satellite into orbit. As a result of the fairing’s weight(400 kg), the quick motor could not control the position of the satellite and accelerate. The defective operation directed the satellite onto an incorrect path, and thus it could not gain enough speed to enter orbit. Its speed fell to 6.2 km per second, well short of the optimum 8 km per second.

The ministry of Education and Science will form an inquiry commission for the launch of Nahro and hold the first meeting on Friday.

Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]