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Another attempt to launch KSLV rocket with satellite to be made on November 29

On October 26, the launch of the rocket was postponed a few hours before the start because of the defect

SEOUL, November 19 (Itar-Tass) — Another attempt to launch the Naro-1 rocket with a research satellite will likely to be made on November 29, the South Korean Ministry of Education, Science and Technology said in a press release on Monday.

The launch has become possible as the replacement of the defective part has arrived here from Russia. On October 26, the launch of the rocket was postponed a few hours before the start because of the defect.

“When considering the time needed to thoroughly examine the new part and prepare for a launch, November 29 is technically the most suitable for a third launch of the Naro rocket,” the ministry said. The ministry added the Launch Preparation Committee will be convened this Thursday to decide when the third and last scheduled launch of the Korea Space Launch Vehicle-1 (KSLV-1), also known as Naro-1, will take place.

The replacement part, which is a rubber seal in the connector between the Russian-build first-stage rocket of Naro-1 and the launch pad, was delivered to South Korea on Saturday and is already at the Naro space complex in the south of the Korean Peninsula (480 km south of Seoul).

Engineers later confirmed the damage to the seal had been caused by what they called a “gap” between the seal and the connector's steel component, forcing them to replace not only the damaged seal, but also the defective part of the connector.

Engineers will replace the defective part and within several days will complete the check of the rocket’s systems.

The first stage of the rocket was made by Russia’s Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Centre, and the second solid fuel stage – by South Korea’s enterprises.

The upcoming launch of the KSLV-1 will be South Korea’s third attempt to send a rocket into space from its own soil. Two earlier attempts in August 2009 and June 2010 ended in failures.