spacetoday.net: Fairing failure kept S. Korean satellite from reaching orbit

Posted: Wed, Aug 26, 2009, 6:55 AM ET (1055 GMT)
KSLV-1 first launch (Yonhap)

A satellite on South Korea's first orbital launch Tuesday failed to achieve orbit because the rocket's payload fairing failed to separate as planned, officials said Wednesday. The Science and Technology Satellite-2 (STSAT-2) was the payload of the Korea Space Launch Vehicle 1 (KSLV-1) rocket that appeared to launch successfully Tuesday from a spaceport in the southern part of the country. However, the satellite was not released in its planned orbit, and on Wednesday project officials said the rocket's payload fairing failed to separate as planned; the additional mass of the fairing prevented the satellite from achieving orbit. The KSLV-1 is South Korea's first orbital rocket, built with support from Russia, although the second stage and payload fairing were of South Korean origin.