Hancom's First Satellite 'Sejong-1' to Launch with SpaceX in June Next Year

Sejong 1ho

[Asia Economy Reporter Bu Aeri] Hancom Group will launch 'Sejong 1,' the country's first private satellite for Earth observation, on June 1 next year.

Hancom Inspace, a space and aerospace specialist subsidiary of Hancom Group, announced on the 23rd that it has signed a launch contract for Sejong 1 with the U.S. private space company SpaceX.

Sejong 1 will be launched from Cape Canaveral Space Center in Florida, USA, using SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket. Falcon 9 is a reusable space launch vehicle developed by SpaceX that can deploy satellite payloads into low Earth orbit and geostationary orbit.

Sejong 1 recently completed payload integration tests successfully at the satellite design and assembly factory and environmental test facility located in Glasgow, UK. After completing environmental test evaluations in April next year, it will be launched as scheduled. Following the launch, a one-month test process will be conducted to provide Earth observation image analysis services.

Starting with Sejong 1, Hancom Group plans to sequentially launch satellites up to Sejong 5 and, depending on business growth, will launch and operate a constellation of more than 50 satellites, including not only observation satellites but also communication satellites. Once the development of the Korean Space Launch Vehicle (KSLV) currently underway is completed, preparations and investments will be made to enable the launch of the Sejong satellite series domestically.

The company has received core technology from the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) that enables two-way communication between ground stations and low Earth orbit satellites (altitude 500?600 km) and is advancing and commercializing satellite communication technology necessary for operating satellite constellations.

Choi Myung-jin, CEO of Hancom Inspace, said, "With the advent of the new space era, the market for various satellite services such as communication, image data, and the Internet of Things (IoT) using low Earth orbit satellites is rapidly growing. Starting with the launch of Sejong 1, we will strengthen our competitiveness in the aerospace business through localization and advancement of satellite-related technologies."