Seoul, 05 July (H.S.):
South Korea is set to launch its fourth mid-sized Earth observation satellite on Tuesday from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, United States. The satellite will be carried into orbit aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
According to South Korea's state-run Yonhap News Agency and Türkiye's state-run Anadolu Agency, citing the Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA), the satellite, weighing approximately 500 kilograms, is scheduled for launch at 4:10 p.m. Korea Standard Time on Tuesday. All technical inspections and fuel loading procedures were completed last month, following which the satellite was declared ready for launch.
The agency said the satellite is expected to separate from the Falcon 9 rocket approximately two hours and 22 minutes after liftoff. About 31 minutes later, it is expected to transmit its first signal through the Svalbard Ground Station in Norway.
The satellite is equipped with payloads developed in South Korea, including a high-resolution Earth observation camera capable of capturing images of the entire Korean Peninsula every three days.
According to the government's plan, the satellite will support a wide range of applications, including agriculture, forest management, disaster response, climate change studies and public safety.
After being placed into its orbit at an altitude of approximately 888 kilometres, the satellite will undergo a four-month initial testing phase and is expected to become fully operational during the first half of next year.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
