Khrunichev Nears Completion of KSLV-1 First Stage

MOSCOW (Khrunichev PR) —In the Khrunichev Space Center are close to completing work on the creation of the first stage for the South Korean rocket KSLV-light class 1. In July, scheduled for the test stage to control the test stand of the plant, and in August to implement sending the product to South Korea.

The third launch of KSLV-1 launch pad with the National Space Centre “Naro” is scheduled for the fourth quarter of this year.

Cooperation of South Korea and Russia in the field of missile technology has been going on for eight years. In 2004 a contract was signed for the Korean Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) for the development and creation of space rocket with a booster light class KSLV.

Editor’s Note: Both parties are hoping that the third time will be a charm. The first launch failed after the payload shroud didn’t jettison. The second launch vehicle exploded, for reasons that the Russians and Koreans could not agree upon. There is a dispute over whether the Russian first stage or the Korean second stage was at fault.

The Russian stage is powered by a scaled-down version of the engine that will be used in the new Angara rocket, which is set to make its debut in the second quarter of 2013.