S. Korea to launch first maritime weather satellite in 2009

By Lee Joon-seung
SEOUL, Nov. 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will launch its first maritime
communication and weather satellite into space in June 2009, the government said
Sunday.
The satellite developed jointly by Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) and
France's Astrium will be placed in a geo-synchronized orbit over the Korean
Peninsula and be tasked with various roles, the Ministry of Land, Transport and
Maritime Affairs said.
Astrium has developed the maritime monitoring component of the satellite that
will be brought into the country on Monday for assembly by KARI. The state-run
institute will attach the French-made part to the locally developed satellite
before sending the complete unit to French Guiana in South America for launch.
"The successful development of the satellite marks a leap forward for the country
to monitor and manage its maritime resources around the clock on a real-time
basis," said a ministry official.
The 2.5 ton satellite can cover 2,500 square kilometers from a "central point"
(130E 36N) west of Pohang on South Korea's east coast and send pictures of
plankton growth, information on movement of fishery resources and pollution
levels, as well as provide communications services.
It can also send data on currents and vital weather information including
movement of typhoons during the summer months and sand storms that blow in from
the Asian mainland in spring.
The ministry said that a total of 355.8 billion won (US$236.4 million) went into
the project that began in September 2003, with the satellite to become fully
operational around December. Life expectancy for the satellite is expected to be
seven years.
South Korea has six scientific and multi-purpose satellites in orbit, with the
first being launched in 1992. It also has four communications and broadcasting
satellites in orbit, and plans to launch its first satellite-laden rocket from
its own soil next year.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
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