South Korea has decided to delay test-launching its first homegrown space vehicle by ten months, effectively invalidating the Park Geun-hye administration’s plan to launch the space vehicle during her term .
 
The Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning held the 11th National Space Committee on Wednesday and approved the revised plan regarding the Korea Space Launch Vehicle-II(KSLV-II), postponing the test-launch of the spacecraft from December to October of next year.
 
The ministry said it needs more time to deal with technical problems raised during the development of the combustor and the propellant tank of a 75-ton liquid engine.  
 
The KSLV-II project, aimed at putting South Korea’s first homegrown satellite into orbit, was first announced by the Lee Myung-bak administration in 2010 with its test-launching expected in December of 2018 and actual launching in late 2020.
 
However, the Park administration moved the schedule up in 2013 to fulfill her presidential pledge of launching the country’s first lunar expedition by 2020. 
 
Under the Park administration’s plan, the test-launch and actual launch of the KSLV-II were supposed to occur by December of 2017 and late 2019, respectively.
 
Due to the delay of the test-launch of the KSLV-II, South Korea’s goal for sending its first spaceship to the moon will also likely be delayed beyond 2020.