À̹ÌÁö È®´ë South Korean policymakers have tentatively push back the planned launch of its own space rocket by another year to 2021 on expert opinions that technologies for space docking and atmospheric reentry needed to be developed in parallel to ensure a successful mission of moon landing.
But a robotic orbiter will be launched in 2020 as planned, according to a new plan unveiled by its science ministry during a public hearing held on Tuesday.
The country will launch home-grown space rockets twice by 2021. Korea aims to develop a three-stage rocket able to put a 1.5-ton commercial satellite in the low earth orbit and secure related technologies. A total of 1.96 trillion won ($1.8 billion) is allocated to implement the space program ranging from design to manufacture to test and launch.
Under the rescheduled plan, the campaign to launch a moon lander aims to be achieved by 2030.
By Kim Yoon-jin and Minu Kim
[¨Ï Pulse by Maeil Business Newspaper & mk.co.kr, All rights reserved]