MOSCOW. May 27 (Interfax-AVN) - A delegation of the South Korean Aerospace Research Institute held negotiations with the management of the Khrunichev State Space center and Eurockot joint venture, the principal issue of the talks being cooperation in space exploration, the Khrunichev press-service reported on Monday.
The South Korean institute is now engaged in development of the Kompsat-2 multifunctional satellite; an international tender for producing the satellite has already been proclaimed. Among the participants in the tender is the Khrunichev center that has put forward a concept of implementing the Korean project with employment of the Rokot carrier rocket.
The members of the South Korean delegation familiarized themselves with products of the center and visited production shops of the enterprise. They also praised the production facilities of the center and export potential its products.
On Sunday the delegation visited the Plesetsk cosmodrome and familiarized themselves with the Rokot carrier rocket, its tests and mounting facilities. Experts of the cosmodrome are now engaged in preparing launches of two satellites of the Iridium system.
The Rokot light carrier rocket was developed on the basis of the SS-19 (RS-18) intercontinental ballistic missile. It can be effectively used for putting spacecraft into orbits at various altitudes and inclinations; it can be also employed to implement various orbiting schemes, including group launches.
High technological characteristics of the Rokot missile has been attained through employment of the Briz-KM booster developed at the Khrunichev center.
The booster is an advanced asset boasting cutting-edge space and rocket technologies, such as a multiple start boiling fuel engine, digital control system, two-element small-thrust engines that are used for increasing precision of putting payload into predetermined orbits, orientation and stabilization of booster in passive flight sections. The satellite also has a powerful battery that is capable of supplying energy to its own components and those of the payload for seven hours.
The visit of the South Korean delegation was organized by the Khrunichev center, Russian Space Troops and Russian-German Eurockot joint company that is marketing the Rokot carrier rocket in the world.