Next Medium-Sized Satellite 2 Developed with Korean Technology... Green Light for Satellite Export Market

Land Management and Disaster Observation Missions

"Comprehensive Government Support for Satellite Manufacturing"

With the successful launch of the second Next-Generation Medium-Sized Satellite (Next Medium-Sized Satellite 2), whose schedule had been delayed due to the Russia-Ukraine war, a green light has been given for entering the satellite export market. The Korean government plans to actively support exports to countries such as Saudi Arabia and Peru, as it has secured domestic platform and core payload technologies.

An artist's rendering of the joint operation of Next-Generation Medium-Sized Satellites 1 and 2. Provided by Korea Aerospace Administration (KASA).

On May 4, the Korea Aerospace Administration (KASA) and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced that Next Medium-Sized Satellite 2 successfully made its first contact with the ground station at the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) in Daejeon at 10:18 p.m. the previous day. During this first contact, the condition of the satellite was checked. Next Medium-Sized Satellite 2 was launched onboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, USA, at 4 p.m. Korean time (12 a.m. local time) on the previous day. At around 5:15 p.m., it successfully made its first contact with the Svalbard ground station in Norway, followed by five additional contacts with overseas ground stations.

The Next Medium-Sized Satellite 2 is a 534 kg earth observation satellite capable of distinguishing objects 0.5 meters in size in black and white and 2 meters in color. Its main work includes high-resolution satellite transmission for efficient land management, disaster response, and the provision of precise spatial information services. It will be used for map-making, earth observation, and change detection, as well as monitoring damages from typhoons, heavy snowfalls, wildfires, and more. Full-scale observation missions are scheduled to begin in the second half of this year. In July, Next Medium-Sized Satellites 4 and 5 are also set to be launched in succession. These satellites will be responsible for monitoring crop conditions and water resources, respectively, establishing a satellite-based agricultural, fisheries, terrestrial, and climate observation platform.

The Next Medium-Sized Satellite program was initiated to strengthen the self-reliance of space technology. For this reason, most of the equipment, including the payload (camera) known as the "eye of the satellite," was produced by domestic companies. The localization of the payload involved domestic companies such as the Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science, Deca Aerospace, Hanwha Systems, Lumir, Genoco, Geukdong, and Doowon. In addition, a medium-sized satellite platform was developed so that by simply changing the payload, the satellite can perform various functions.

Entry into the Satellite Export Market..."Plans to Rapidly Advance Launch Capabilities"

The Falcon 9 launch vehicle from SpaceX carrying the second Next-Generation Medium-Sized Satellite (NGMS-2), an Earth observation satellite aimed at land resource management and disaster response, was launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, USA, at 4 p.m. Korean time on the 3rd (midnight local time on the 3rd). Photo by Yonhap News Agency

KASA plans to enter the satellite export market through its medium-sized satellite platform. KASA announced that it will promote exports to regions such as Saudi Arabia, Peru, and Indonesia by linking low-cost medium-class satellite development technology with aircraft exports. Tae seog Oh, Administrator of KASA, delivered a congratulatory video message stating, "We expect to enter the overseas satellite market through the development of low-cost, multi-purpose medium-class satellites based on the standard platform used for Next Medium-Sized Satellite 2," and added, "The government will provide full support so that companies can confidently compete in the satellite manufacturing and service markets."

The road to the launch of Next Medium-Sized Satellite 2 was not without obstacles. According to the original plan, it was supposed to be launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan using Russia’s Soyuz launch vehicle in the second half of 2022. However, satellite transportation was disrupted by the Russia-Ukraine war, prompting a switch to SpaceX's Falcon 9 launch vehicle. The existing cooperation between Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) and SpaceX for the launch of Next Medium-Sized Satellite 4 also worked in Korea’s favor. Administrator Oh remarked, "Observing the launch via SpaceX, I realized the need to further strengthen Korea’s access to space," and added, "We will rapidly advance our Nuri launch vehicle capabilities to enable important satellites we develop to be launched swiftly and on schedule from our own soil, aiming for two or three launches per year."

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