Engineering:KOMPSAT-3

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KOMPSAT-3
NamesKorean Multi-purpose Satellite-3
Arirang-3
Mission typeEarth observation
OperatorKorea Aerospace Research Institute
COSPAR ID2012-025B
SATCAT no.38338
Mission duration4 years (planned)
12 years and 1 month (in progress)
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeKOMPSAT
ManufacturerKorea Aerospace Industries
Korea Aerospace Research Institute
EADS Astrium (bus)
Launch mass980 kg (2,160 lb)
Dimensions2.9 m in diameter x 3.5 m in height
Power1.3 kW
Start of mission
Launch date17 May 2012, 16:39 UTC
RocketH-IIA (202) (# 21)
Launch siteTanegashima Space Center
ContractorMitsubishi Heavy Industries
Entered service29 March 2013
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric orbit[1]
RegimeSun-synchronous orbit
Altitude685 km (426 mi)
Inclination98.13°
Period98.5 minutes
Instruments
Advanced Earth Imaging Sensor System (AEISS)
KOMPSAT programme
KOMPSAT-5 →
 

KOMPSAT-3 (Korean Multi-purpose Satellite-3), also known as Arirang-3,[2] is a South Korean multipurpose Earth observation satellite. It was launched from Tanegashima Space Center, Japan at 16:39 UTC on 17 May 2012. Like the earlier KOMPSAT-1 and KOMPSAT-2 satellites, it takes its name from the popular Korean folk song Arirang. Its launch was the culmination of a project begun in 1995.[3]

KOMPSAT-3 orbits at a height of 685.1 km (425.7 mi), circling the Earth 14 times per day, and is expected to maintain that orbit for 4 years. It weighs 980 kg (2,160 lb). The satellite carries an Advanced Earth Imaging Sensor System (AEISS), which can distinguish to a 70-cm resolution, allowing the identification of individual vehicles on the ground.[4]

The satellite was succeeded by KOMPSAT-5 and KOMPSAT-3A, which were launched on 2013 and 2015 respectively.

History

South Korea started the KOMPSAT programme in 1995 to nurture its national Earth-imaging industry and supply services for remote-sensing applications. The South Korean KOMPSAT-3 Earth-imaging satellite was developed by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) and Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI), in partnership with EADS Astrium, to assure continuity with the KOMPSAT-2 satellite launched in 2006. KOMPSAT-3 was orbited on 17 May 2012 by a launch vehicle from Tanegashima Space Center, Japan. SI Imaging Services is the worldwide exclusive distributor of KOMPSAT imagery since November 2012.[4]

Technologies

Orbit

KOMPSAT-3 operates in a near-polar, circular Sun-synchronous orbit. The orbital parameters are:

  • Mean altitude: 685.1 km
  • Mass: 980 kg
  • Inclination: 98.13° (Sun-synchronous orbit)
  • Orbital period: 98.5 minutes
  • Orbital cycle: 28 days

Instruments

KOMPSAT-3's instruments are designed to acquire high- and very-high-resolution imagery with a footprint of 16.8 km. The satellite has the capacity to acquire 20 minutes of imagery on each orbit and it can steer its sensors both ways out to 30° off track. Panchromatic and multispectral images can be acquired at the same time.

KOMPSAT-3 radiometer features:

Kompsat-3 radiometric parameters
mode Channel Spectral band Spatial resolution Footprint
Multispectral 1 0.45 - 0.52 μm (blue) 2.8 m 16.8 km
2 0.52 - 0.60 μm (green) 2.8 m 16.8 km
3 0.63 - 0.69μm (rouge) 2.8 m 16.8 km
4 0.76 - 0.90 μm (near-infrared) 2.8 m 16.8 km
Panchromatic P 0.50 - 0.90 μm (black and white) 70 cm 16.8 km

Ground receiving stations

Two receiving stations deliver KOMPSAT-3 imagery 1 to 3 days after acquisition. The Deajeon station in South Korea is responsible for tasking the satellite.

Advantages and applications of KOMPSAT-3 imagery

KOMPSAT-3 is designed for very-high-resolution (VHR) remote-sensing applications, such as:

  • Land planning: to detect and identify features smaller than 1 square meter, e.g. vehicles, street furnishings, roads and bushes
  • Agriculture: to pinpoint crop or tree diseases
  • Urban planning and demographics: to locate detached houses
  • Civil engineering: to plan road, railroad and oil pipeline corridors
  • Defence: to describe high-value assets or military sites

South Korea

It serves along with the existing Kompsat-2 to provide continuous satellite observation of the Korean Peninsula, sending images twice a day at 01:30 and 13:30.[5]

See also

References

External links