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Further Reading

KSLV - Korean Space Launch Vehicle-1 Third Flight in Question

9-07-10

The Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) Russian made Ground Test Vehicle with The Republic of Korea second stage and payload shroud undergoing launch pad installation facilities testing April 15, 2009

Republic of Korea [ ROK ] KSLV-1 3 rd. Launch Tentatively Scheduled for 2011.

After the third meeting of the joint (FRB) Failure Review Board [ Russia , South Korea ] on the failure loss of the second KSLV-1 booster it was decided that the third and final KSLV-1 launch attempt would be carried out in 2011. However subsequent to the third meeting of the joint (FRB) Failure Review Board [ Russia , South Korea ] failure to arrive at an answer to the failure a stale mate has developed. Khrunichev Center is reluctant to go forward with a third attempted flight at their expense that would cost South Korea 200 billion Won if they paid for it. However Khrunichev refuses to acknowledge its potential culpability in the second flight failure bringing into question whether the third flight will ever take place. There are in fact questions and thoughts that the 200 billion Won would better be spent on the independent South Korean KSLV-II program.

The previous second meeting of the FRB reviewed the analysis of the possible scenario causes of the failure. During the third meeting of the FRB review the detailed analysis of the scenarios presented at the second meeting of the FRB they then further agreed to carry out additional test defined to identify the most plausible causes of the launch failure through jointly observed testing and analysis and then carry out the corrections in order to carry out the third flight successfully. No launch schedule is considered possible because of the impact on both countries space programs until the further testing of possible scenarios is completed. One does wonder if the production of hardware might have failed leading to the vehicle’s failed launch.

Once the fourth meeting of the FRB which has not taken place is completed a date for the third launch attempt will be set that all will work to planning wise. Further it was decided that it would be the Russian Federation paying for the third first stage and its fuel for this final launch of the KSLV-1 booster. This is now been denied by Khrunichev with no resolution on the failure in sight.