[Herald Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Park Jeong-kyu] The launch schedule for Korea’s first climate satellite led by a local government will take place on the 20th. This comes 15 months after Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon announced the plan for the climate satellite launch.
Gyeonggi Province announced on the 18th that the “Gyeonggi Climate Satellite” will launch on November 20 at 3:18 AM (Korean time) and the live broadcast of the launch will be streamed via the Gyeonggi Provincial Government’s official YouTube channel.
The “Gyeonggi Climate Satellite 1 (GYEONGGISat-1)” is scheduled to launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, USA, at 3:18 AM on the 20th.
Viewers can watch the entire process live on YouTube from 3:10 AM as the satellite is carried on the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and deployed. Gyeonggi Province has prepared to gather at the Planet Gyeonggi Hall (basement level 1) in the Gyeonggi Library to watch the live broadcast together.
Anyone can participate without prior registration. At the venue, there will be a launch countdown, real-time explanations from experts including CEO Park Jae-pil of Nara Space Technology (satellite project operator), real-time Q&A for residents, and introductions to the climate satellite mission.
To help residents feel the necessity and expected impact of the Gyeonggi Climate Satellite, a temporary situation room will operate from November 17 to 29 at the residents’ lounge on the basement floor of the Gyeonggi Credit Guarantee Foundation. It will feature a life-sized model of the climate satellite and climate satellite videos, as well as a photo zone.
Cha Sung-soo, Director of Gyeonggi Province’s Climate Environment and Energy Bureau, stated, “This Gyeonggi Climate Satellite launch is not just a scientific and technological achievement, but also an embodiment of Gyeonggi Province’s determination to lead in responding to climate crises.” He added, “We hope many residents will join in this touching moment that opens the future of climate science.”
The Gyeonggi Climate Satellite initiative began in earnest after Gyeonggi Governor Kim Dong-yeon announced it as one of the key tasks for the latter half of his term during a press briefing on August 14 last year. The basic plan was established in October of the same year, and the development and operation agency for the satellite was selected through an open call in February to March this year. The satellite was completed in July, and final procedures were concluded.
The Gyeonggi Climate Satellite 1 is an optical satellite, approximately 25 kg in weight, and classified as a 16U nanosatellite (CubeSat standard). It is equipped with a high-resolution multispectral payload and high-speed data processing equipment, which allows it to observe precise data based on images from visible and near-infrared wavelengths.
Operating about 500 km above Earth’s surface, the satellite will capture areas of 14×40 km per pass over the Gyeonggi area to monitor natural disasters like floods and wildfires, or changes in vegetation and land cover. The satellite will be powered by its onboard solar panels and will perform its missions for three years before a decision on its extension or decommissioning is made. The high-precision data it produces will be utilized for detailed monitoring of land use status, quick verification of disaster recovery, and surveillance of illegal forest and land damage.
The second satellite (GYEONGGISat-2A) and third satellite (GYEONGGISat-2B) are also set to launch sequentially starting in 2026.