Key facts
- South Korea is set to launch its fourth next-generation medium-sized satellite on Tuesday.
- The launch will occur from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
- The satellite will be carried by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
- The satellite is designed for Earth observation and will be used for applications like agriculture, disaster response, and public safety.
- It is scheduled to reach its target orbit at an altitude of approximately 888 kilometers.
South Korea is preparing to launch its fourth next-generation medium-sized Earth observation satellite on Tuesday, utilizing a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The launch is scheduled from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California at 4:10 p.m. Korea time.
The 500-kilogram satellite, named next-generation medium-sized satellite-4, has completed its pre-launch checks and fuel injection. It is expected to separate from the rocket approximately two hours and 22 minutes after liftoff and establish its first communication with the Svalbard ground station in Norway about 31 minutes later.
Equipped with domestically developed payloads, including a camera capable of imaging the entire Korean Peninsula every three days, the satellite is intended for a variety of applications. These include agricultural and forest management, monitoring environmental changes, disaster response, climate analysis, and enhancing public safety.
Upon reaching its operational orbit at an altitude of roughly 888 kilometers, the satellite will undergo a four-month initial in-orbit testing phase before commencing its full mission duties in the first half of next year.