VOA科学技术2024--South Korea Establishes Space Agency, Targets Mars Landing

South Korea has created a new national space agency to increase its capabilities¹ and is aiming for a future Mars landing.

President Yoon Suk Yeol recently announced the establishment of the Korea Aerospace² Administration (KASA). He said the country plans to spend about $70 billion on future space exploration.

"I have always believed that there is an infinite dream and future in outer space," Yoon said. The South Korean leader added that the agency would seek "to land a homegrown probe on the moon by 2032 and plant the (South Korean flag) on Mars by 2045."

South Korean space officials say the newly formed agency will aim to establish better cooperation than in the past, when different government ministries³ were involved in space activities. All space efforts are now to be developed under the KASA.

South Korea became the seventh country to own an indigenous⁴ space launch rocket. Last May, that vehicle, called Nuri, successfully launched a large satellite into orbit. Additional Nuri rocket launches are planned. One is set for the second half of 2025.

In the next three years, South Korea plans at least three more space launches. It also aims to launch several military satellites.

A KASA statement said the agency is modeled after the American space agency NASA. It said KASA would act as an "aerospace control tower," to oversee⁵ space policy, satellite development and exploration missions.

Planned cooperative projects include expanding South Korea's involvement in Artemis 3, NASA's planned effort to put astronauts back on the moon by 2026. Research and development at KASA will be led by John Lee, who spent 30 years with NASA.

Yoon said the country's space development budget would increase by $1.1 billion by 2027. That is double the current space budget.

KASA will be headquartered in the city of Sacheon, in South Korea's far south. Yoon noted⁶ the government's plan to create the "Toulouse of Asia" in Sacheon. He was speaking about the southwestern French city of Toulouse, which developed into a European space capital because Airbus is headquartered there.

KASA's planned moon landing in 2032 will be a joint⁷ project with Hanwha Aerospace, South Korea's largest defense⁸ and aerospace company.

Roh Kyung-won is deputy administrator⁹ of KASA. He told the French news agency AFP, "Our aim is also to support the private sector¹⁰ in space missions as extensively as we can."

One of the agency's first projects will involve a cooperation with Perigee¹¹ Aerospace. The newly formed South Korean space company will aim to test a space launch vehicle from South Korea's southern Jeju Island as early as next month.

International space experts say Yoon's announcement demonstrates the increasing efforts that Asian nations are putting into space programs for practical reasons. These include perfecting independent rocket technology and strengthening national pride.

China has been heavily developing its space program and exploration missions in recent years. The country has successfully launched heavy-lift rockets, including the Long March 5. It has also established its Tiangong space station, sent unmanned moon probes and launched its Zhurong exploring vehicle, which reached Mars in 2021.

Japan has also increased its national space activities. In January, it became the fifth nation to place a lander on the moon. Japan also plans to send an explorer, or rover, to Mars.

And last year, India became the fourth country to land on the moon.

Words in This Story

infinite - adj. extremely large or great

probe - n. a vehicle used in space exploration

indigenous - adj. having always lived or existed in a place

aerospace - n. the design and production of aircraft

mission - n. an important project or trip, especially involving space travel

extensive - adj. large in amount or size

practical - adj. relating to real situations or actions and not to thoughts or ideas

1 capabilities   

n.能力( capability的名词复数 )；可能；容量；[复数]潜在能力

参考例句：

• He was somewhat pompous and had a high opinion of his own capabilities. 他有点自大，自视甚高。 来自辞典例句
• Some programmers use tabs to break complex product capabilities into smaller chunks. 一些程序员认为，标签可以将复杂的功能分为每个窗格一组简单的功能。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

2 aerospace   

adj.航空的，宇宙航行的

参考例句：

• The world's entire aerospace industry is feeling the chill winds of recession.全世界的航空航天工业都感受到了经济衰退的寒意。
• Edward Murphy was an aerospace engineer for the US Army.爱德华·墨菲是一名美军的航宇工程师。

3 ministries   

（政府的）部( ministry的名词复数 )； 神职； 牧师职位； 神职任期

参考例句：

• Local authorities must refer everything to the central ministries. 地方管理机构应请示中央主管部门。
• The number of Ministries has been pared down by a third. 部委的数量已经减少了1/3。

4 indigenous   

adj.土产的，土生土长的，本地的

参考例句：

• Each country has its own indigenous cultural tradition.每个国家都有自己本土的文化传统。
• Indians were the indigenous inhabitants of America.印第安人是美洲的土著居民。

5 oversee   

vt.监督，管理

参考例句：

• Soldiers oversee the food handouts.士兵们看管着救济食品。
• Use a surveyor or architect to oversee and inspect the different stages of the work.请一位房产检视员或建筑师来监督并检查不同阶段的工作。

6 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

7 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

8 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

9 administrator   

n.经营管理者，行政官员

参考例句：

• The role of administrator absorbed much of Ben's energy.行政职务耗掉本很多精力。
• He has proved himself capable as administrator.他表现出管理才能。

10 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

11 perigee   

n.近地点

参考例句：

• The Moon reaches its absolute perigee once a year.月球每年有一次达到它的绝对近地点。
• Once the satellite reaches perigee,it will eject a small probe which enter the planet's atmosphere.当人造卫星达到近地点时，就会发射一根小探针，这根探针将进入行星的大气层。