Launch of Korean space rocket Naro-1 delayed again

The scheduled launch of the Korean space rocket Naro-1 has been postponed again, most likely until next year.

The Education, Science and Technology Ministry on Thursday announced that it stopped the countdown due to problems with a direction controller in the upper second-stage rocket less than 17 minutes before lift-off scheduled for 4 p.m.

The first delay of the launch came Oct. 26 about five hours before lift-off due to a problem in the first-stage rocket built by Russia.

With the latest delay, the launch is not expected this year because the rocket inspection and launch preparation will take at least a week, meaning that lift-off will not come until Wednesday, the end of the scheduled period for the launch.

Considering the presidential election is slated for Dec. 19, the fourth attempt to launch is highly likely to be scheduled next year. Kim Seung-jo, the head of the Korea Aerospace Research Institute, said, “It’ll be difficult to launch the rocket by Dec. 5.”

According to the institute, an electronic part that controls the pump in the upper part of the rocket seems to have caused the problem because the direction controller had worked properly in four test operations held in the rehearsal Wednesday and launch preparation Thursday. The part will be replaced with a new one.

The rocket will be taken down from the launch pad and moved to its assembly complex for repair Friday after the extraction of fuel and oxidizer Thursday.

uneasy75@donga.com