[Editorial] Arirang 2: A Big First Step

The satellite Arirang-2, mainly built with domestic technology, was successfully launched. With its successful liftoff, Korea got a step closer to claiming the status of “aerospace powerhouse.”

Arirang-2 is currently in orbit, sending extensive information on the Korean peninsula by corresponding with the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) in Daejeon.

While Arirang-1, jointly built with the U.S. seven years ago, could identify an object 6.6 meters in diameter on the earth’s surface, Arirang-2 can identify an object one meter in diameter. Only seven countries in the world are in possession of such a high definition satellite.

In just 10 years after Korea embarked on the development of satellites, it has witnessed great progress in the field. Around 70 percent of the technology applied in Arirang-2’s body and 50 percent of the camera technology are domestic. This was all thanks to Korean scientists that toiled for the last five years.

However, it may be too early for Korea’s aerospace industry to be complacent with the achievement.

The aerospace industry, also cited as a “diamond-laying goose,” has emerged as one of the backbone industries that determines the competitiveness of a country. Since the technology developed in this field has a great ripple effect on other high-tech industries and the industry has a big importance in terms of military and security, there is keen competition among countries to develop technologies ahead of others. While the U.S. already developed a satellite loaded with a camera that can identify an object 10cm in diameter, Korea’s Arirang-3, which is planned to be launched in 2009, can only identify objects 80cm in diameter. The spaceport Oenarodo, which will be opened in October next year, is also just at the beginning stage.

The successful launch of Arirang-2 has proven the potential of Korea’s aerospace technology has reached the world-class level. With pan-national interest and support, the aim of becoming an aerospace powerhouse can be realized sooner, which, in turn, will contribute to a raise in the national power.