Ministry of Science and ICT-National Intelligence Service to Hold Opening Ceremony on the 29th
"The Heart of National Satellite Services"
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-su] The Ministry of Science and ICT held an opening ceremony for the National Satellite Operation Center located in Gujwa-eup, Jeju Island on the 29th.
The National Satellite Operation Center is responsible for operating the country's low Earth orbit satellites. Starting with the operation of the Multipurpose Practical Satellites 3 and 3A this year, next year it will take over and fully manage the operation of the currently active national low Earth orbit satellites from the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI). It will also be responsible for additional national low Earth orbit satellites to be launched in the future.
The currently operated national low Earth orbit satellites include the Multipurpose Practical Satellites for precise Earth observation and public use, as well as the Next-Generation Medium-Sized Satellites for various public wide-area observation purposes. Since new satellite constellations such as ultra-small cluster satellites are expected to be developed, it was difficult to accommodate them at KARI's facilities.
Accordingly, the Ministry of Science and ICT, together with the National Intelligence Service, selected the Jeju Island area as the site for new facilities for future national satellite operation and control, and has been working on establishing the center. The construction of the 'National Satellite Operation Center' is a collaborative project between ministries, with the National Intelligence Service handling security-related matters and the Ministry of Science and ICT responsible for building equipment and facilities for satellite operation, operating jointly.
The center will be equipped not only with satellite operation and control facilities but also with satellite image calibration facilities to improve the quality of satellite information. Expansion into a satellite information big data center is also planned.
Oh Tae-seok, First Vice Minister of the Ministry of Science and ICT, stated, "The National Satellite Operation Center will play a role like the heart of satellite utilization services," adding, "I hope the National Satellite Operation Center will promote the dissemination of public satellite information and act as a catalyst to revitalize Korea's satellite utilization industry."
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