SUNGKYUNKWAN UNIVERSITY (SKKU), SEOUL, KOREA
The Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning announced that a satellite carrying a South Korean-developed space telescope reached orbit Thursday.
The Soyuz rocket successfully launched from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia, on the morning of April 28th. One of the satellites the rocket was transporting loaded the space telescope, which is designed for observing gamma-ray bursts.
The telescope rode into orbit on a Russian rocket, the inaugural launch at a new Russian spaceport. The rocket carried three small satellites including Lomonosov, which contained the telescope, Ultra-Fast Flash Observatory pathfinder.
The pathfinder will be used to capture X-and Gamma-rays for three years after a three-month test operation period.
The telescope was developed by a joint-research team consisting of five countries, led by Sungkyunkwan University's. The leader of the pack, Professor of Physics, Park Il-hong said the telescope will open a new chapter for Korea's international space research and would lead to world class accomplishments. Park explained; "It is almost the first time we produced satisfactory results in the field of space through international joint research. I will study the space flash including gamma-ray bursts during the next three years, where after I will share my findings with the public".
