Next-Generation Medium Satellite 1 Launch D-7... Opening the Era of Cost-Effective 'K-Satellite' [Reading Science]

KARI to Launch from Kazakhstan Base at 3:07 PM on the 20th
Domestic Production, Low Cost, and Top Performance... Pioneering Overseas Satellite Export Market

Concept image of the Next-Generation Medium Satellite No. 1. Provided by Korea Aerospace Research Institute

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-su] The first next-generation medium-sized satellite will be launched on the 20th. It is a medium-sized low Earth orbit satellite weighing about 500kg, made at half the cost compared to others in the same class, yet boasting the best observation performance. Except for a very few parts, all components are domestically produced, signaling a boost to the Korean satellite industry.

△ What is the first next-generation medium-sized satellite?

It weighs about 500kg including payload and satellite fuel. Its mission orbit is 497.8km, classified as a low Earth orbit satellite. It passes over the Korean Peninsula every day at 11 a.m. to carry out its mission. The mission lifespan is 4 years, consuming about 1.1kw of power. It has a shape of a rectangular box with solar panels, measuring 1.86m in diameter and 2.89m in height, with a cylindrical optical payload attached. Its specific missions include ground observation and change detection, crop condition surveys, urban planning, map making, and land and resource management. It also aims to secure independent satellite imagery for disaster and emergency response such as coastal, typhoon, heavy snow, flood, and wildfire damage monitoring. The government plans to produce a second satellite to be launched in 2022, and in the second phase, three more satellites (3rd for space science and technology verification, 4th for wide-area agricultural and forestry monitoring, 5th for C-band imaging radar water resource monitoring) will be launched under industry leadership.

System Configuration Diagram of Next-Generation Medium-Sized Satellites 1 and 2. Photo by Korea Aerospace Research Institute

△ Lowest cost, highest performance

The first next-generation medium-sized satellite was made at the lowest cost compared to other satellites in the 500kg class but boasts top-level performance. The precision optical payload equipped on this satellite offers a 12km observation width with 0.5m black-and-white and 2.0m color resolution. Compared to Japan's Asunaro-1, it has the same resolution but a 2km wider observation width. India's Cartosat-2 has an observation width of only 9.6km and a black-and-white resolution of 0.8m. Israel's Eros-B has a 7km observation width and 0.7m black-and-white resolution, which is inferior to ours, and Peru's Perusat-1 has a wider observation width of 14.5km but lower resolution (0.7m black-and-white, 2.0m color).

Especially, Korea produced it at about 59% of Japan's cost and 29% of Peru's, making it world-class in cost-effectiveness. The first satellite cost 157 billion KRW, which is only about half of other countries' costs (around 300 billion KRW). The development period is also shorter, with 5 years for the first satellite and 3 years for the second, compared to 6-7 years in other countries.

△ High domestic production rate

The Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) succeeded in securing domestic satellite manufacturing technology by independently producing a standard platform for 500kg-class medium-sized satellites through the development of the first next-generation medium-sized satellite. For the satellite camera (optical payload), which was mostly procured overseas, a domestically produced 0.5m resolution optical payload was developed. All processes including manufacturing of the optical module except the CCD photodetector, design, assembly, alignment, and testing of the electro-optical unit and data transmission unit were independently conducted in Korea. The reflector was developed by the Korea Institute of Standards and Science, the optical structure by Deck Aviation, the optoelectronics by Hanwha Systems, the image data processing device by Lumir, the X-band transmitter by Zenoco, the X-band antenna by Geukdong, and the thermal control device by Doowon, with participation from domestic industries and research institutes. The government plans to promote the industrialization of domestic satellite technology through this launch. KARI will transfer satellite technology to industries so that the private sector can lead satellite development in the future, actively supporting overseas exports of low-cost, multi-purpose medium-sized satellites to open the era of 'K-Satellite.'

Next-Generation Medium-Sized Satellite No. 1 Participating Companies by Component. Photo by Korea Aerospace Research Institute

△ Launch details?

The first next-generation medium-sized satellite will be launched around 3:07 p.m. (Korean time) on the 20th from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan aboard Russia's Soyuz launch vehicle. The Baikonur Cosmodrome is located about 2100km southeast of Moscow and is leased by Russia until 2050. It is a historic space center where the world's first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1, was launched on October 4, 1957. About 64 minutes after launch, the satellite will separate from the launch vehicle, and 70 minutes later, satellite initialization and solar panel deployment will occur. The first remote data reception will be at 102 minutes, ground station communication and solar panel deployment confirmation at 2 hours 40 minutes, and the first communication with the Daejeon KARI ground station at 8 hours 17 minutes, following the sequence.

△ Korea's satellite development history

Korea began full-scale space development projects in 1990 but is still in the early stages. In the 1990s, Korea developed and launched Uri-Byeol 1 (August 1992), Uri-Byeol 2 (September 1993), and Uri-Byeol 3 (May 1999), but these were basic stages. Full-scale satellite development started with Science and Technology Satellite 1 (September 2003), and Science and Technology Satellite 2 was launched on the Naro rocket, which used Russian technology, but it exploded.

The history of small satellite development continues with the next-generation small satellite 1 launched in 2018 and the next-generation small satellite 2 scheduled for launch in 2022. The government is also developing 11 military micro-satellite cluster systems. Among the 8 small satellites already developed and launched, only the next-generation small satellite 1 is operational; the others have completed their missions.

Current Status of Satellite Development in Korea. Photo by Korea Aerospace Research Institute

Korea also meets domestic practical satellite demand through low Earth orbit satellites equipped with optical lenses and radar payloads for precise observation of the Korean Peninsula, called the 'Arirang satellites.' Following the first Arirang satellite launched in 1999, which KARI developed in partnership with the U.S., Arirang 2, 3, 3A, and 5 have been launched, and Arirang 6, 7, and 7A are currently under development.

For relatively high-performance and large geostationary satellites, there is the Cheollian satellite. Korea cooperated with France to produce Cheollian 1, which was successfully launched in June 2010. It carries a meteorological payload (MI) for weather observation in geostationary orbit, a marine payload (GOCI) for monitoring marine environment and ecology around the Korean Peninsula, and a communication payload for broadband satellite multimedia test services, performing multiple missions. Currently, Cheollian 2 and 2A have succeeded Cheollian 1's meteorological and marine observation missions and additionally undertake environmental observation missions, launched in 2018 and 2020 respectively. Cheollian 3, a public communication satellite, is also under development and scheduled for launch in 2027.