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KOMP Sat (Korean Multipurpose Satellite) III, dubbed the Arirang 3, will be launched on May 18th. The lightweight earth observation satellite is scheduled to undergo a three-month testing period and provide satellite images starting in September. The images will be used to monitor and predict natural disasters and public safety incidents, as well as manage natural resources.
Arirang 3 is to lift off from the Tanegashima Space Center in Japan on May 18th. Pre-launch inspection is complete and the rocket that will carry the satellite will be moved to the launch pad on May 17th. After the rocket blasts off, the boosters on either side of the body will detach first, followed by the pairing and the first stage rocket fuel. Sixteen minutes into the flight, Arirang 3 will separate from the rocket and enter the orbit with its solar fuel cell panels fully extended. Once it succeeds in entering the orbit at 685 kilometers above the earth, the satellite will undergo a three-month test operation and start sending images in September. Arirang 3 is capable of sending high definition images that are twice as sharp than the ones from Arirang 2, which is currently in orbit.
Korea has invested roughly 280 billion won (USD 243 million) over eight years on the development of Arirang 3. It should be noted that the entire satellite-building process, from design and assembly to testing, as well as the development of a high-resolution satellite camera was carried out by local scientists and engineers. Arirang 3 measures 2.6 meters in length, 2 meters in diameter, 3.5 meters in height and weighs about a ton. It is 90 centimeters longer and 200 kilograms heavier than the previous Arirang 2 model. The biggest difference between the two satellites is the number of solar panels - Arirang 2 has two, while Arirang 3 has three. Since there are three solar cell panels, the satellite can change its position easily without becoming unstable. Also, Arirang 3’s most prominent feature is its high resolution camera, which can provide images over two times sharper than the one in Arirang 2, and is capable of distinguishing objects only 70 centimeters apart. For instance, the camera on Arirang 2 can show only the overall picture of the Olympic Stadium in Seoul, while the cutting-edge HD camera on Arirang 3 can distinguish even the lines drawn on the track.
Korea is getting ready to launch Arirang 5 in the near future as well. Arirang 5 is different from the conventional observation satellites in that it is equipped with imaging radar, enabling the satellite to take photos regardless of weather and time of the day. Arirang 5 is capable of photographing even on a cloudy day or at night, because the imaging radar shoots microwaves on the earth’s surface and analyzes the reflections to create images similar to ordinary photographs. Korea is also planning the launch of Arirang 3A with infrared observation capabilities. These satellite developments have put Korea on the next level of earth observation technology. Four Korean satellites in all – Arirang 3, Arirang 5, Naro science satellite, and STSat-3 - are scheduled to lift off in 2012. In particular, the Naro science satellite will be loaded on to Naro, an indigenous Korean rocket developed in conjunction with Russia, and launched in October. The previous two attempts to put the Naro space rocket in orbit ended up in failure, but if the third attempt is carried out successfully, Korea will try to launch a 75-ton rocket with its own technology in 2018. Then the level of Korea’s satellite technology will soar to fifth or sixth in the world and the nation can boast of its own locally-developed rocket technology, putting Korea among the world’s aerospace superpowers.
