The development of South Korea's first cluster of small satellites, designated Small Satellite Cluster 2-6, has been completed, and preparations for the fifth launch of the Nuri rocket are underway. Once a total of 10 satellites are established by 2027, they will be able to capture images of the Korean Peninsula more than three times a day.
The Korea Space Agency (Korea Space Agency) announced that it has completed the development of Small Satellite Cluster 2-6 in collaboration with the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) and held a pre-transport review meeting (PSR) on August 13.
The small satellite cluster system development project aims to operate 10 small Earth observation satellites, each weighing less than 100 kg, in a cluster to conduct high-frequency, precise observations of the Korean Peninsula and surrounding waters. The satellites will be divided into two orbital planes, with five satellites operating along the same trajectory in each plane.
Each satellite will be equipped with an electro-optical camera capable of capturing black-and-white images with a resolution of 1 meter and color images with a resolution of 4 meters from low Earth orbit.
During the review meeting, the results of the production and environmental tests of the first five mass-produced units were examined, along with the compatibility of the Nuri rocket, launch preparations, and the status of ground station and initial operation readiness, confirming the feasibility of the launch.
Small Satellite Cluster 2-6 is the first domestically mass-produced Earth observation satellite, made using low-cost components. Based on the operational results of the prototype launched in April 2024 and the verification satellite launched in January this year, improvements were made to the cluster operation technology and thrust performance, completing the production, assembly, and environmental testing of the mass-produced units.
Small Satellite Cluster 2-6 is set to be launched aboard the Nuri rocket from the Naro Space Center in Goheung, South Jeolla Province. After the launch, initial communications, status checks, payload functionality tests, and image verification and correction will be conducted before entering full-scale cluster operations. The fifth launch of the Nuri rocket is scheduled for late October.
By 2027, a total of 10 cluster satellites will be established, enabling the capture of images of the Korean Peninsula more than three times a day and the ability to re-capture the same location within 24 hours. The Korea Space Agency expects this capability will allow for quicker acquisition of imagery needed for national security and disaster response.
Han Jae-hung, head of the KAIST Satellite Research Institute, stated, "This pre-transport review meeting is significant as it confirms that we are ready to mass-produce and simultaneously launch and operate five satellites with the same design." He added, "We will carry out the Nuri rocket launch, initial operations, and cluster deployment without any issues."
Kim Jin-hee, head of the satellite division at the Korea Space Agency, remarked, "The launch of Small Satellite Cluster 2-6 marks the first instance of launching five cluster satellites simultaneously in South Korea," emphasizing the importance of this transition from single satellite production to mass production and cluster operation in domestic satellite development.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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