Korea’s long dream of freely exploring the universe is now one step closer as the country’s first space launch facility has officially opened Thursday (June 11).
The Naro Space Center, located in Goheung, 485 kilometers south of Seoul, and covering 5.11 million square meters, unveiled itself after nine years of construction at a cost of 312 billion won (US$248.6 million).
The vast center has a state-of-the-art mission director center, launch and flight safety control facilities, launch pad, meteorological observatory and both radar and optical tracking systems to follow the trajectory of all rockets launched.
With the establishment of the center, Korea becomes the 13th member of the so-called “space club” comprising countries that operate space centers and can send satellites into orbit.
As of today, there are 26 space centers worldwide in 12 countries including Russia, US, France, China and India.
The opening ceremony for the Naro Space Center was held Thursday afternoon attended by President Lee Myung-bak, government officials and about 1,000 Goheung residents.
In a speech marking the opening of the country’s first space center President Lee said the Naro Space Center symbolizes the country’s bright future.
“Up until the last century, countries that controlled the sky and the sea led the world, but in the 21st century, the ones that advance into space will control the world,” said President Lee.
He also added that Korea must step up efforts to develop its space technology and must become the world’s seventh largest space developer within the decade.
The first domestic satellite launch from Korea’s soil is scheduled on July 30.
The rocket called Korea Space Launch Vehicle-1 (KSLV-1) or Naro-1 is to be launched from to carry a small scientific satellite into Earth’s orbit.
Following the successful launch of the KSLV-1, work is to begin on the construction of the KSLV-2 that could be launched around 2018.
Although the KSLV-1 was built in cooperation with Russia, the KSLV-1 will completely be made domestically without foreign assistance.
Korea is also set to put efforts to send an unmanned probe into the Moon’s orbit in 2020.
Korea has previously launched ten satellites all from outside the country, mainly Russia.
