In this article we are going to delve deeper into Korean Astronaut Program, exploring its different facets and its impact on our lives. Korean Astronaut Program is a topic that has captured the attention of millions around the world, generating debate and reflection around its importance and relevance. As we delve into the analysis of Korean Astronaut Program, we will discover its multiple dimensions and how it influences our society, our culture and our way of seeing the world. From its origins to its current evolution, Korean Astronaut Program continues to be a topic of great interest to experts and the general public. Join us on this journey of discovery and reflection about Korean Astronaut Program.
Korean Astronaut Program | |
Hangul | 한국 우주인 배출 사업 |
---|---|
Hanja | 韓國宇宙人輩出事業 |
Revised Romanization | Hanguk ujuin baechul saeop |
McCune–Reischauer | Han'guk ujuin paech'ul saŏp |
The Korean Astronaut Program (Korean: 한국 우주인 배출 사업) was an initiative by the South Korean government to send the first Korean into space via the Russian space program. A ten day flight to the International Space Station (ISS) with astronaut Yi So-yeon occurred in 2008.[needs update]
On December 25, 2006, two candidates—one woman and one man—were selected by South Korea during a ceremony held at SBS television center in Dungchon-dong, Seoul. This choice was the result of a comprehensive selection process which started with the screening of 36,000 applications.[1]
The eight other finalists were:
The winning pair was sent to Russia in early 2007 to undergo a 15-month training course at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center near Moscow.
On September 5, 2007, Ko San was named as the prime candidate, whilst Yi So-yeon served as his backup.[12] However, on March 10, 2008 it was announced that the prime candidate would be changed to Yi So-yeon due to several violations of training protocol by Ko San. Ko San served as backup.[13]
On April 8, 2008 Yi So-yeon took off from the Baikonur[14] space center in Kazakhstan at 11:16 GMT aboard Soyuz TMA-12. She spent ten days conducting scientific experiments aboard the International Space Station.[15]
It cost South Korea approximately 26 billion won (US$28 million) to pay for the training and spaceflight.[16]
In 2014, Yi So-yeon resigned from the program to pursue an MBA, which was incompatible with continuing as an astronaut.[17]