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Korea has become a satellite power based on technology accumulated through the successful launching and operation of multipurpose satellites, Arirang 1 and 2, and Chollian communication, ocean meteorological satellite (COMS), observers say. Korea is rated as a country with satisfactory levels of technology especially in terms of design and the production of main parts of satellites, which no longer lags behind other countries such as the U.S., Russia or European nations, they say. However, the country is still highly dependent on advanced satellite payloads technology from abroad, critics say. The imported technology helps complete missions by transmitting images of the Earth taken by high-performance cameras. But as the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) has successfully produced satellite payloads on its own, Korea is technically independent, sources close to KARI said. From now on, Korea will be making keen application of various satellite images. Generally, an image radar or optical camera is used for Earth observation satellites, while an infrared, ultraviolet camera, spectrometer, ionometer and magnetometer are used for scientific satellites in payloads. Of them, technology for optical cameras is shared with only five countries such as the U.S., France and Israel, according to the sources. The transfer of the core technology is strictly restricted. The Earth observation satellite Arirang 2 has a resolution of 1m (it marks 1㎡ as one pixel) level. It was launched in 2006 and its optical satellite payload was produced in cooperation with ELOP of Israel. Also, the first domestic geostationary satellite Chollian was made in cooperation with ITT in the U.S. and Astrium in France. It was launched in June last year. In addition, a synthesized aperture radar (SAR) is being produced in cooperation with Thales Alenia Space of Italy. SAR will be loaded into the first domestic image radar satellite Arirang 5 which is to be launched next year, the sources said. | ||||
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jckim@koreatimes.co.kr | ||||