South Korea's First Mass-Produced Microsatellite Cluster Verification Device Succeeds in Communication

South Korea's first mass-produced microsatellite cluster verification device has successfully completed initial communication after launch, confirming its entry into orbit and the verification of its basic functions.

According to the Space Agency, at 10:21 a.m. (Korean time) on January 30, the microsatellite cluster verification device was launched from the Mahia Launch Complex in New Zealand. The first satellite signal was received at 12:56 p.m. on the same day through the Svalbard ground station in Norway. Subsequently, at 1:12 p.m., communication was also established with the Daejeon ground station in Korea, confirming that the solar panels had deployed normally and that stable power generation was underway.

Launch scene of Rocket Lab's Electron launch vehicle equipped with a "Microsatellite Cluster Verification Device." Provided by the Space Agency

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This launch was postponed twice after its originally scheduled date in December of last year, but was ultimately successful after Rocket Lab, the launch vehicle provider, completed supplementary measures. Even on the day of the launch, the launch time was adjusted by about 26 minutes for additional data checks, but the launch proceeded normally within the pre-secured launch window.

Initial communication results indicated that the satellite's condition was generally good. The satellite connected with the domestic ground station approximately 2 hours and 50 minutes after launch, entering the basic operational phase.

The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) plans to test the performance of the microsatellite cluster verification device and assess the quality of its observation images over the next six months. Full-scale Earth observation missions are scheduled to begin in July 2026.

This verification device represents a key phase in the development of the microsatellite cluster system, a project supported by the Space Agency. The project aims to establish an Earth observation satellite system that will frequently monitor the Korean Peninsula and surrounding seas to enhance national security and disaster response capabilities. The KAIST Satellite Technology Research Center is overseeing the project, with Satrec Initiative responsible for joint satellite system development. The Korea Aerospace Research Institute is in charge of developing ground systems, calibration, and utilization systems.

The verification device launched this time is tasked with pre-verifying the image quality and operational performance of the mass-produced satellites to be deployed in the future. The satellite is expected to provide black-and-white optical images at 1-meter resolution and color images at 4-meter resolution for at least three years. Subsequently, five additional satellites will be launched in 2026 and another five in 2027 via the Korean launch vehicle Nuri, to be operated as a cluster.

Kim Jinhee, Director of the Satellite Division at the Space Agency, stated, "The in-orbit verification results obtained through the successful launch and initial communication of this verification device will greatly contribute to the formation and technological advancement of the subsequent mass-produced satellite cluster. The government will continue to steadily promote the development and launch of follow-up satellites to further strengthen the nation's space technology capabilities and the competitiveness of the space industry."

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