KPS First Satellite Completes Comprehensive Critical Design Review

Targeting a September 2029 Launch... Review of Satellite Bus and Payload Integration
Integrated Design Review in November to Include Ground and User Systems

The first satellite of the Korea Positioning System (KPS) is undergoing development, with a launch targeted for September 2029. Preparations for full-scale production are accelerating as teams conduct a comprehensive review of the design and integration of key components, including the satellite bus and navigation payload.

The Korea Aerospace Administration said on October 22 that it had held a Critical Design Review (CDR) for the KPS Satellite No. 1 system at the Korea Aerospace Research Institute over three days, from October 20 to 22. Relevant government agencies and research and development institutions participated, including the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, and the Korea Coast Guard.

KPS Satellite No. 1. Provided by the Korea Aerospace Administration.

KPS is a satellite navigation system that Korea is developing independently. The project will use signals transmitted by satellites to provide positioning and timing information. It aims to build navigation infrastructure for use across a range of fields, including air, maritime, and land transportation.

This review expanded the scope of the detailed design review of the Satellite No. 1 payload, conducted last September, to cover the entire satellite. A critical design review is the final design review stage before a satellite is built for flight; it verifies that the design meets the required performance and functional specifications.

The research team focused on checking the satellite bus's power supply and attitude-control functions, as well as the connections and operational relationships between the navigation payload and other components. The review assessed not only whether each piece of equipment operates properly on its own, but also whether the satellite is designed to perform its mission reliably once all the components are integrated.

KPS Basic Configuration and Operating Principles. AI Recreation Based on Materials from the Korea Aerospace Administration (KASA).

The team also reviewed items requiring inspection during follow-up production and assembly, along with test plans for performance verification.

In November, the Korea Aerospace Administration plans to conduct an integrated critical design review covering not only the satellite but also the ground and user systems. The review will comprehensively assess the design of the overall KPS system and the connections between its systems, and will further detail preparations for production, assembly, and testing.

"This meeting provided an opportunity to review the integration of the navigation payload, satellite bus, and components, and to assess the overall design maturity of Satellite No. 1," said Kim Jinhee, head of the Satellite Division at the Korea Aerospace Administration. "We will carefully incorporate the review findings into preparations for follow-up production, assembly, and testing, and proceed with the integrated critical design review in November as planned."

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