[SatNews] The Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) has selected Arianespace to launch the two satellites for theirGEO-KOMPSAT-2 program.
Mr. Jacques Breton, Senior Vice President, Sales & Customers of Arianespace, and Mr. CHO Gwangrae, President of KARI, have signed the launch contract for GEOKOMPSAT-2A & -2B.
Illustration of KARI's GEO-KOMPSAT 2A (GK 2A) satellite.
Image courtesy of KARI.
GEO-KOMPSAT-2A (GK2A) and GEO-KOMPSAT-2B (GK2B) will be orbited by Ariane 5 launchers in May 2018 and March 2019 from the Guiana Space Center, Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. For nearly 25 years, Arianespace and KOREA’s satellite technology research centers have developed a sound relationship, with the launch of scientific microsatellites and the COMS multi-mission satellite. GEO-KOMPSAT-2A (GK2A) and GEO-KOMPSAT-2B (GK2B) will be the seventh and eighth satellites launched by Arianespace for South Korea.
Each of the GEO-KOMPSAT-2 satellites will weigh about 3,500 kg. at launch and will be positioned in geostationary orbit at 128.2 degrees East. The satellites will be built by KARI at its facility in Daejeon, South Korea. The two governmental GEO-KOMPSAT-2 satellites will primarily perform meteorological observation and space weather monitoring (GK2A), and ocean and Earth environmental monitoring (GK2B).
Mr. Cho Gwang-rae, President of KARI, signs the launch contract with Jacques Breton, our Senior VP, Sales & Customers.
Photo courtesy of Arianespace.
Arianespace Chairman and CEO Stéphane Israël welcomed the contract signing and said, "Our last launch for KARI occurred in 2010. Now, we have been chosen again by KARI to launch these two impressive meteorological observation missions. Arianespace will deliver."
Follow Arianespace's launch activity at: https://www.arianespace.com/.
Details regarding KARI are available at https://eng.kari.re.kr/
