Precise Location Information Service Scheduled for Nationwide Launch in South Korea Starting 2023
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Min-young] The first aviation satellite to provide precise location information services across South Korea will be launched on the 23rd from the Kourou Space Center in French Guiana, South America.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced on the 22nd that the first aviation satellite will be launched at 6:03 a.m. on the 23rd (6:03 p.m. local time on the 22nd), and after signal testing, it will officially provide the high-precision Korean Aviation Satellite Service (KASS) starting in 2023. A public pilot service will be available from the end of this year.
KASS is the seventh system in the world to be officially registered with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Existing GPS systems have errors of about 15 to 33 meters due to refraction when radio waves pass through the ionosphere, but the aviation satellite can correct the error range to 1 to 1.6 meters.
The first aviation satellite is a 15-year lease of Malaysia’s MEASAT communication and broadcasting satellite, manufactured by Airbus. Since the satellite is positioned over South Korea, anyone nationwide can use the signal free of charge 24 hours a day. Furthermore, it will provide more precise and reliable location information for future mobility location-based service industries such as navigation, drones, autonomous driving, and Urban Air Mobility (UAM).
On the day of the launch, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong plans to observe the live broadcast of the launch at the Satellite Control Room of the Korea Aerospace Research Institute in Daejeon. Minister Won said, "This will enhance the safety and efficiency of aircraft operations and serve as an opportunity for technological advancement and job creation in various industries based on location information," adding, "We will actively promote the successful development of South Korea’s independent satellite navigation system (KPS)."
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