Hanwha Systems Develops Technology to Track Artificial Satellites.

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] Hanwha Systems is embarking on the development of a next-generation system for space object surveillance and tracking using laser technology.

On the 27th, Hanwha Systems announced that it was finally selected as the lead research institution for the project ‘Next-Generation Space Object Precision Tracking Identification and Active Response Technology Development.’ This R&D project is a leading core technology research and development initiative led by industry-academia-research collaboration.

The project scale is approximately 45 billion KRW and will be conducted over five years from December 2020 to November 2025, focusing on three areas: next-generation space object precision tracking system technology, adaptive optics identification technology for artificial stars, and others.

The ‘Next-Generation Space Object Precision Tracking System’ calculates the round-trip time of lasers fired from the ground to precisely track space objects and predict their orbits.

As the number of artificial satellites launched by various countries increases annually, risks such as collision accidents in space and debris falling are also rising. Therefore, securing domestic technology capable of accurately observing and predicting space objects is an urgent matter.

The Hanwha Systems consortium uniquely possesses core technologies in Korea, including space distance measurement laser technology, precision orbit prediction technology, and large-aperture optical system technology that can observe space objects through large lenses similar to astronomical telescopes. Through this development, it is expected to secure technology for precise distance measurement and tracking of space objects.

The ‘Artificial Star Adaptive Optics Identification Technology’ applies deformable mirror technology to obtain clear images when observing space objects from the ground.

When observing space objects from the ground, atmospheric disturbances such as shimmering heat waves cause light to scatter, reducing visibility and limiting precise observation. To overcome this, an artificial star is projected into the atmosphere to measure the constantly changing atmospheric disturbances. Additionally, the shaking images obtained from space are corrected using deformable mirror technology that adjusts the mirror’s fine movements, enabling more accurate identification of space objects.

Kim Yeon-cheol, CEO of Hanwha Systems, stated, “Through this development, we will do our best to establish an independent space surveillance and reconnaissance system for our military, from monitoring to response systems in the space domain.” He added, “Furthermore, we hope to contribute to predicting and preparing for various disaster situations such as space object falls in advance.”