Hanwha Systems "Domestic First Private Small Observation Satellite to Launch into Space Within This Year"

"Produced by Private Sector with Government Support"

A small observation satellite developed by the private sector will be launched into space from Korea for the first time.

Hanwha Systems announced on the 22nd that it plans to launch its self-developed 'small Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite' into space this year from the sea south of Jeju Island. SAR is a system that sequentially emits radar waves toward the ground and ocean from the air, then synthesizes the minute parallax of the radar waves reflected from curved surfaces to create topographic maps of the ground. Unlike conventional satellites, it can obtain image information during both day and night and in adverse weather conditions.

Image of the 'Small SAR Satellite' that Hanwha Systems will launch this year over the southern sea of Jeju Island.
[Photo by Hanwha Systems]

Hanwha Systems explained that it built the satellite by receiving related technology from the government under the satellite technology transfer policy promoted by the government to rapidly advance Korea's space industry. Hanwha Systems stated, "Since the private sector is leading this satellite launch, we expect it to be a signal flare announcing the leap of the Korean new space industry, 'K-Space.'"

The Hanwha Systems small SAR satellite is a high-resolution Earth observation satellite. Unlike conventional satellites, its payload, main body, and solar panels are integrated into a single unit. It is designed to maximize the number of satellites that can be loaded onto the launch vehicle, significantly reducing launch costs. A Hanwha Systems official said, "After successfully launching the satellite, we will control the launched satellite and acquire and analyze real-time ground images through our own ground control center," adding, "We plan to accumulate experience in satellite development and utilization."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.