STSAT-2A

STSAT-2A

Operator	KARI
Mission duration	2 years (planned) Failed to orbit
Spacecraft properties
Launch mass	90 kilograms (200 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date	25 August 2009, 08:00 UTC
Rocket	Naro-1
Launch site	Naro
Contractor	Khrunichev/KARI
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric
Regime	Low Earth
Perigee	300 kilometres (190 mi)
Apogee	1,500 kilometres (930 mi)
Inclination	80 degrees
Period	102.998 minutes
Epoch	Planned

STSAT-2A
Hangul	과학기술위성 2호
Hanja	科學技術衛星 2號
Revised Romanization	Gwahak gisur wiseong 2ho
McCune–Reischauer	Kwahak kisul wisŏng 2ho

STSAT-2A (Science and Technology Satellite 2A)^[1] was a satellite launched by the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI), the national space agency of South Korea, from the Naro Space Center in Goheung County, South Jeolla using the Naro-1 (KSLV-1) rocket.^[2][3]

The 100-kilogram (220 lb) satellite carried a Lyman-alpha Imaging Solar Telescope (LIST) as well as Satellite laser ranging (SLR) payload.^[4]

The Satellite Technology Research Center (SaTReC) developed STSAT-2A as a sun observation, satellite laser ranging and engineering and technology demonstration sponsored by the Ministry of Science and Technology. It was expected to be operational for about two years, and was scheduled to be launched between 2005 and 2007.^[5]

The Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) instrument was intended to measure the orbit of STSAT-2A, in order to investigate variations in its orbit.^[6]

It was a followup to STSAT-1, which was launched using a Kosmos-3M rocket on September 27, 2003. Originally a Dual-channel Radiometers for Earth and Atmosphere Monitoring (DREAM) Microwave radiometer was intended as the principal payload of STSAT-2A for an expected launch in 2007.^[7] The Laser Retro-reflector Array (LRA) was described as an early expected payload for STSAT-2A which would consist of nine retro-reflectors in a mechanical casing.^[5]

STSAT-2A has three missions, the indigenous research and development to place a satellite into low orbit, development of indigenous spacecraft, and the ability to develop scientific payloads.^[6]

STSAT-2A was launched on the maiden flight of the Naro-1 rocket, which lifted off the Naro Space Centre, on the southern coast of South Korea at 08:00 GMT on 25 August 2009. The launch failed to place STSAT-2 into orbit after half of the payload fairing failed to separate.^[8] This resulted in the second stage being too heavy to reach orbit, and it fell back to Earth along with the satellite. Further investigation is ongoing. A second satellite, STSAT-2B, was launched on June 10, 2010, but the launch vehicle failed again.

See also

• Kompsat-2

References

1. "STSAT-2". NASA. Retrieved 2009-08-26.
2. "South Korea Completes Space Center For Rocket Launch". AFP Nasdaq. June 12, 2009. Retrieved 2009-06-14.
3. "Gov't Approves Launch of S. Korea's First Space Rocket". Telecoms Korea News Service. June 2, 2009. Retrieved 2009-06-14.
4. Krebs, Gunter. "STSAT 2". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2009-06-14.
5. Lee, Jun HO. "Korea's First Satellite for Satellite Laser Ranging" (pdf). Satellite Technology Research Center (SaTReC). Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology. Retrieved 2009-06-14.
6. "STSAT (Science and Technology Satellite)". GlobalSecurity.org. 04-02-2009. Retrieved 2009-06-14. Check date values in: |date= (help)
7. Kim, Sung-Hyun; De-Hai Zhang; Ho-Jin Lee; Hyuk Park; Seok-Hun Yun; Chun-Sik Chae; Eun-Sup Sim; Jing-Shan Jiang; Yong-Hoon Kim (July 25–29, 2005). "Korean spaceborne microwave radiometer on STSAT-2: Dual-channel Radiometers for Earth and Atmosphere Monitoring (DREAM)". Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium, 2005. IGARSS '05. Proceedings. 2005 IEEE International (South Korea: Dept. of Mechatronics, Gwangju Inst. of Sci. & Technology) 1: 3. doi:10.1109/GARSS.2005.1256211. ISBN 0-7803-9050-4. Retrieved 2009-06-15.
8. "S. Korean satellite lost shortly after launch: gov't". Yonhap News. Retrieved 2009-08-26.

External links