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South Korea’s Earth-Observation Satellite CAS500-2 Successfully Launched

South Korea's Earth-observation satellite CAS500-2 has successfully entered low-Earth orbit following a launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The satellite separated from the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket about one hour after liftoff and made first contact with a ground station in Norway 15 minutes later. Developed for disaster monitoring and agricultural observation, the 534-kilogram satellite features high-resolution imaging with 0.5-meter black-and-white and 2-meter color ground resolution. KASA Administrator Oh Tae-seog hailed the launch as a milestone for private-led space era and a boost for South Korea's satellite technology competitiveness.

Key Points: S. Korean Satellite CAS500-2 Reaches Orbit Successfully

  • CAS500-2 enters low-Earth orbit after SpaceX launch
  • Satellite separated from Falcon 9 rocket about one hour after liftoff
  • First communication with ground station in Norway confirmed normal operation
  • Developed for disaster monitoring and agricultural observation
  • Features 0.5m black-and-white and 2m color ground resolution
2 min read

S. Korean Earth-observation satellite successfully put into orbit

South Korea's CAS500-2 satellite enters orbit after SpaceX launch, boosting Seoul's space tech and disaster monitoring capabilities.

"The successful launch of CAS500-2 marked a major milestone in opening the private-led space era - KASA Administrator Oh Tae-seog"

Seoul, May 3

A South Korean Earth-observation satellite has successfully entered low-Earth orbit following its launch from a U.S. space base in California, authorities said on Sunday, in a move expected to help bolster Seoul's satellite development capabilities.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the satellite lifted off at 12 a.m. Saturday (U.S. time) from Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County, California.

The satellite, called Compact Advanced Satellite (CAS) 500-2, was separated from the launch vehicle about one hour after liftoff, and it was successfully put into orbit, according to the Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA), reports Yonhap news agency.

The next-generation midsized satellite No. 2 succeeded in making its first communication with a ground station in Norway about 15 minutes following the separation from the rocket. KASA said it identified the satellite as normally working.

The satellite was developed for disaster monitoring and agricultural observation. Following a four-month initial operation period, the CAS500-2 will perform its mission together with the CAS500-1 starting in the second half of this year.

The CAS500-2 had been originally scheduled to launch on a Russian Soyuz rocket in 2022 but the deployment was delayed following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The 534-kilogram CAS500-2 is capable of high-resolution Earth observation, featuring a ground resolution of 0.5 meters in black-and-white images and 2 meters in colour.

KASA said key components of the CAS500-2 platform and payload were developed with homegrown technology, noting that South Korea's space technology independence has been strengthened with the successful launch of the satellite.

"The successful launch of CAS500-2 marked a major milestone in opening the private-led space era," KASA Administrator Oh Tae-seog said, stressing that it will help bolster the country's satellite technology competitiveness by independently securing high-precision imagery capabilities.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

L
Lakshmi X
Good for SK - they had to wait so long because of the Russia-Ukraine war. Shows how dependent we all are on either US or Russian launchers. India's ISRO should be proud of our independent launch capability! 🇮🇳
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Nikhil C
0.5m black-and-white resolution from a 534kg satellite is quite something. South Korea is becoming a serious space player. Meanwhile, our Cartosat series still delivers good data but we need to match this level of resolution per kg.
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James A
As someone working in remote sensing, having more nations with hi-res satellites is good for disaster monitoring. South Korea's agricultural observation will benefit. But I wish they'd share data more openly with developing countries. 🌏
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Priya S
Another proof that with proper planning and homegrown technology, space ambitions can yield results. But why are we still not seeing India collaborate more with SK on earth observation? We have mutual interests in agriculture and disaster response.
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Siddhartha F
Modi ji ke time mein private sector ko space mein khulle hawa mili hai - similar to what SK is doing. But we really need to step up indigenous satellite manufacturing for these hi-res applications. Cheers to the SK team! 👏
A
Aditya G
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