South Korea has successfully placed an Earth observation satellite into low Earth orbit following a launch from a US space base, authorities announced Sunday, marking a new step in strengthening the country’s satellite development capabilities.
The satellite, CAS500-2 satellite, was launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, according to the Korean news agency Yonhap.
The launch took place at midnight local time on Saturday. About one hour after liftoff, the satellite successfully separated from the launch vehicle and was inserted into its intended orbit, confirmed the Korea AeroSpace Administration.
Shortly after separation, the CAS500-2 established its first communication with a ground station in Norway, approximately 15 minutes later, confirming the satellite’s stable operation and functionality.
Designed for disaster monitoring and agricultural observation, the satellite will undergo a four-month verification phase before entering full operational service. It will later operate alongside CAS500-1 in the second half of the year.
Weighing 534 kilograms, CAS500-2 is capable of capturing high-resolution Earth observation images, with a resolution of 0.5 meters in black and white and 2 meters in color.
According to the Korea AeroSpace Administration, most of the satellite’s key platform and payload components were developed using domestic technology, underscoring South Korea’s progress toward greater technological self-reliance in the space sector.
