Government to Expand Purchase of Commercial Satellite Imagery... Public Sector Demand to Boost Space Industry

KASA Hosts Meeting Between Satellite Companies and Public Institutions
Promoting Eased Security Regulations and Expanded Public Sector Applications
Strengthening the Government’s Catalytic Role in Market Development

The government is expanding the purchase of commercial satellite imagery to foster the domestic satellite imaging industry. The strategy is to create a virtuous cycle ecosystem in which public institutions generate initial demand, thereby stimulating the private sector’s satellite development and service market.

On July 23rd, the Korea Aerospace Administration (KASA) announced that it held a discussion session at the Korea Aerospace Research Institute with the participation of satellite imaging companies and public institutions to discuss measures to expand the purchase of commercial satellite imagery.

It is possible to monitor aquaculture farms in real time, including their conditions, through satellite-based surveillance. Provided by Korea Aerospace Administration (KASA).

The meeting was attended by satellite imaging companies such as Nara Space, SI Imaging Services, InSpace, Contec, and Telepix, as well as satellite imagery demand agencies including the Ministry of Data and Statistics, Korea Meteorological Administration, Rural Development Administration, Korea Forest Service, and Korea Coast Guard.

KASA shared its policy direction, including ongoing efforts to enact the Tentatively Named Act on Promotion of Satellite Operation and Satellite Information Utilization and the public release of national standard satellite images. The administration also discussed expanding the supply of high-resolution satellite imagery by easing security regulations, increasing public sector applications such as climate change and environmental management, and establishing a system to identify public demand.

The participating companies emphasized that the satellite imaging industry requires significant upfront investment and faces uncertain demand, making preemptive procurement by the government and public institutions crucial to market formation. They explained that expanding public sector demand could create a virtuous cycle, leading to private sector satellite development, operations, and corporate investment.

Deputy Administrator Noh Kyungwon of KASA stated, "We plan to provide policy support so that the public sector can generate early market demand," and added, "For the growth of the commercial satellite imaging industry, the catalytic role of the government and public institutions is more important than ever."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.