Space Agency-NIS Hold Event to Celebrate Commencement of First Miniature Cluster Satellite Mission
On April 1, Korea’s first miniature cluster satellite was launched and has now completed its initial six-month operation, commencing its official mission. The Space Agency (hereafter referred to as the Space Agency) announced on the 7th that they, along with the National Intelligence Service (hereafter referred to as the NIS), held a ceremony to commemorate the start of the miniature cluster satellite’s mission and to acknowledge the efforts of the research team involved in its development.
The cluster of 11 miniature satellites was launched in April to enhance precise monitoring of the Korean Peninsula and surrounding waters. Its purpose is to quickly respond to national crises and various disasters. The KAIST Satellite Research Center has been developing these practical Earth observation satellites with support from the Space Agency and NIS since 2020.
The Space Agency stated, “Miniature Cluster Satellite 1 has successfully completed the initial operation, including image calibration, over the past six months since its launch. Over its approximately three-year mission period, it will produce high-resolution images of selected domestic and international regions, contributing to national security and disaster response.”
At the ceremony, videos showing sharp images of moving vehicles and urban buildings were presented. The Space Agency emphasized, “For a 100-kilogram-class miniature satellite, this represents world-leading image quality.”
Yoon Young-bin, the head of the Space Agency, declared, “This is an important achievement that elevates Korea’s space industry capabilities to a new level. We plan to closely collaborate with the NIS to expand the applications of cluster-type miniature satellites.”
160 participants attended the event, including Jin Myeong-gi, the Deputy Governor of Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, representatives from local governments, the miniature cluster satellite project team, Korea Land and Geospatial InformatiX Corporation, Environment Satellite Center, national satellite centers, and space business experts from companies such as Contec and Iops. During the event, the Space Agency awarded commendations to three key contributors from the miniature cluster satellite project team.