KOMPSAT-7

Korean Multi-purpose Satellite 7 (Arirang 7) combines advanced and precise optics for environmental monitoring, thereby contributing to the global effort in climate research.

Mission Objective

KOMPASS -7 will provide high-resolution satellite imagery for South Korea by performing land observation. It will contribute to disaster monitoring, land use and planning, and cartography. 

Mission Significance

KOMPAST is a series of South Korean satellite programs for various applications. The KOMPAST-7 is the seventh flight unit of the program. This program is important for developing the country’s satellite technology and, moreover, for strengthening national security by raising the independence of the land observation field.

Source: KAI

Engineering Challenges

For KOMPSAT-7 to deliver advanced imaging capabilities and maintain its orbit around Earth, its engineers must face with multiple technological challenges. First, it has to endure harsh space environment conditions, such as extreme radiation and large temperature fluctuations. For that, it must maintain thermal balance and be made of compatible, resilient materials. Furthermore, for accurate data transmission, it must have precise pointing stability, stray light control, and overall high optical stability in general.

Instrument’s Characteristics

Size: 5.2×2.5 [m²]
Mass: 2000 [kg]
Power: Batteries ; 3 deployable solar arrays.

Mission Payload

Advanced Electronic Image Scanning System-High Resolution

• Type: High-resolution optical imager
• Swath: 15 [km]
• Spectral range: VIS NIR
• Measurements overview: landscape topography, multi-purpose imagery, vegetation
• Data Downlink: The captured data from the instrument is transmitted to receiving stations on Earth for processing, analysis, and distribution to users.

Source: KARI

Acktar’s Solution

To meet KOMPSAT-7’s demanding optical and thermal requirements, Acktar provided Fractal Black coating, which was used on part of the satellite instrument to ensure its proper function and accurate data transmission.

Impact

KOMPSAT-7 will provide land imagery data to serve South Korea’s domestic needs:

• Land observation: The instrument will gather the land use and cover data, which will be used for urban planning, infrastructure development, and environmental monitoring.
• Disaster monitoring: The high-resolution images from the observations will be helpful for disaster response and relief efforts. The instrument will provide timely and accurate information about damaged areas, which might assist rescue operations and damage assessments.

KOMPSAT-7 circles Earth in the Sun-synchronous orbit, which ensures the satellite passes over the same location on Earth at the same time each day under certain light conditions. This consistency is crucial for capturing comparable images to detect changes or regular patterns over time.

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 ACKTAR PARTS: