Space rocket ready for lift-off Friday

The Korea Space Launch Vehicle-1 is scheduled for liftoff at 3:30 p.m. Friday with Koreans hoping it will open a new chapter in the nation’s space technology.

The rocket known as the Naro-3 was placed on the launch pad next to the launch platform pointing straight to the sky at the Naro Space Center in Goheung, South Jeolla Province. Final preparations were performed from the control tower on Thursday.

Naro-3 is a two-stage space launch vehicle. It stands 33.5 meters tall, has a maximum diameter of 2.9 meters and weighs 140 tons when fully loaded.

The first stage rocket was built by Russians with the second stage rocket manufactured by Korean scientists.

The success of its third launch attempt after two failures in August 2009 and June 2010 lies on whether the Naro rocket can separate its fairing and the STSAT-2C, or the small 100-kg scientific satellite, in space about 540 seconds after the liftoff.

Officials at the Naro Launch Committee reaffirmed that there won’t be another failure.

Countdown begins 15 minutes before the liftoff at 3:30 p.m. on Friday.

By Park Hyong-ki (hkp@heraldcorp.com)