S. Korea successfully conducts test flight of solid-fuel rocket carrying satellite

軍, 제주서 고체추진 우주발사체로 민간 소형위성 발사 성공 Amid an intensifying space race with the North, South Korea this afternoon successfully conducted its third test flight of a solid-fuel space rocket, --this time, carrying an actual satellite and putting it into orbit. Correspondent Bae Eun-ji explains what this means when it comes to responding to North Korea’s evolving threats. A rocket blasts off into space, from a barge floating in waters south of Jeju Island. At around 2 PM on Monday, South Korea launched a solid-fuel space rocket --the third test of its kind following two others in March and December last year. Unlike the first two tests, which carried dummy payloads, Monday’s test involved an actual satellite, developed by the country’s defense electronics company, Hanwha Systems. South Korea’s defense ministry said the rocket placed a small satellite that weighs about 100 kilograms into orbit, at an altitude of about 650 kilometers, saying the country has taken a step closer to securing an “independent space capability“ to put satellites into low earth orbit. It also said the successful launch would accelerate the country’s surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, at a time when North Korea continues to threaten national security by launching a military spy satellite, violating UN Security Council Resolutions. Monday’s launch tested the first, third, and fourth stages of the rocket, ahead of the country’s plan to conduct a full-fledged launch in 2025. The rocket, currently being developed by the state-run Agency for Defense Development --uses solid fuel for the first three stages, and liquid fuel for the fourth. Solid-fuel rockets are easier to store and handle and are cheaper to launch than liquid-fuel ones. Although liquid-fuel rockets are more expensive and difficult to store, they are capable of carrying heavier payloads. An official from the Defense Ministry explained that South Korea will be able to launch satellites weighing 500 to 700 kilograms, once all four stages are developed. The official also explained that South Korea’s solid-fuel rocket technology is one of the best in the world, and that it can generate thrust force 1-point-5 times higher than that of rockets developed by North Korea. Amid growing nuclear and missile threats, South Korea aims to send a total of five reconnaissance satellites into space by 2025, to better monitor North Korea. Bae Eun-ji, Arirang News. #Solid_fuel_space_rocket #Spacerocket #Satellite #Technology #소형위성 #고체_추진_우주_발사체 #우주로켓 #로켓 #Arirang_News #아리랑뉴스 📣 Facebook : 📣 Twitter : 📣 Homepage : 2023-12-04, 18:00 (KST)