The next-generation medium satellites, No. 2 and No. 4, are set to complete their initial operations and begin full mission execution by the end of this year.
On October 1, the Korea Aerospace Administration, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Rural Development Administration, and the Korea Forest Service held a meeting in Gwanghwamun, Seoul, to unveil the initial operational results and future plans for satellites No. 2 and No. 4.
During the event, the government released high-resolution images capturing major domestic and international cities, landmarks, agricultural areas, and forest conditions.
Satellite No. 2 boasts a resolution capable of distinguishing between different types of parked vehicles. High-resolution images of significant locations, including Dokdo in South Korea, the Seoul Olympic Stadium, Niagara Falls in the United States, and Star Lake City in Hanoi, Vietnam, were also showcased.
Satellite No. 4 features a wide observation range of 120 kilometers, allowing it to capture images of the entire Korean Peninsula within three days.
The briefing included examples of applications in agriculture and forestry, such as estimating crop cultivation and harvest areas, analyzing crop growth conditions, and assessing damage from large forest fires.
The government plans to utilize the observational data from satellites No. 2 and No. 4 in collaboration with relevant ministries and public institutions for various public services, including land and resource management and disaster response.
In particular, the government aims to enhance the use of satellite information by combining satellite imagery with existing public data to monitor agricultural land, crop conditions, forest changes, and disaster areas.
Furthermore, there are plans to open up the accumulated satellite data analysis technology for private sector use.
Kim I-tak, First Vice Minister of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, stated, "Based on the capabilities accumulated during the development and utilization of the next-generation medium satellites No. 1 and No. 2, we will continue to expand the areas where satellite information can effectively support land management, disaster response, and enhance public administration, contributing to the safety and convenience of the public."
Oh Tae-seok, Administrator of the Korea Aerospace Administration, remarked, "In the future, we will strengthen the utilization system in collaboration with relevant agencies so that the high-quality observational information obtained from satellites can be applied to various national tasks, including land, agriculture, forestry, and disaster response, ultimately leading to services that the public can feel."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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