South Korea successfully launched its first-ever space rocket, the Naro, according to Lee Ju-ho, minister of education, science and technology.
The Korea Aerospace Research Institute announced the Korea Space Launch Vehicle-1 (KSLV-1) – or Naro – deployed its payload, the Science and Technology Satellite-2C and placed it into orbit above the Earth.
South Korea’s 2009 and 2010 attempts at entering space both ended in failure. The lower part of the rocket was made in cooperation with Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center in Russia according to a technology pact between the Republic of Korea and Russia in 2004. Seoul has announced plans to develop an indigenous 10-ton launch vehicle by 2016, with hopes for 300-ton space rocket by 2018.