South Korea set to launch 4th medium-sized Earth observation satellite

Carries homegrown payloads, including observation camera capable of imaging entire Korean Peninsula every three days

South Korea is set to launch its fourth medium-sized Earth observation satellite aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Tuesday, local media reported.

The 500-kilogram satellite has completed function inspections and fuel injection over the past month and is now awaiting launch aboard the Falcon 9, Seoul-based Yonhap News reported Sunday, citing the Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA).

The satellite is scheduled to separate from the launch vehicle about 2 hours and 22 minutes after liftoff and make its first contact with the ground approximately 31 minutes later through the Svalbard ground station in Norway.

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It carries homegrown payloads, including an observation camera capable of imaging the entire Korean Peninsula every three days.

The satellite is expected to be used for a wide range of applications, including agriculture and forest management, forest change monitoring, disaster response, climate change analysis, and public safety enhancement, according to the report.