South Korea launches nanosatellite for satellite constellation project

Seoul: A South Korean nanosatellite was launched into orbit as part of the national project to create a satellite constellation by 2027, officials said Wednesday.

According to the Ministry of Science and ICT, the Earth observation satellite lifted off aboard Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket from a spaceport in Mahia, New Zealand, Yonhap news agency reported.

The satellite, named NEONSAT-1, was sent into space at an altitude of 520 kilometers, about 50 minutes after the rocket’s launch.

NEONSAT stands for the New-space Earth Observation SATellite constellation for national security.

Developed by the state-run Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) for mass production, NEONSAT-1 weighs less than 100 kilograms and has a resolution of 1 meter.

The satellite was the first of eleven nanosatellites to form a satellite constellation to monitor and image the Korean Peninsula and surrounding regions.

South Korea plans to launch five more nanosatellites into space in June 2026, and another five in September 2027.

The launch was originally scheduled for 7:08 a.m. but was postponed due to a potential risk of colliding with another spacecraft and other issues, the ministry said.

The launch project was named BTS, short for ‘The Beginning of the Swarm’, by launch service provider Rocket Lab.

(IANS)