- Arirang 7 Satellite Successful Separates After Launch
- First Communication with Ground Station Achieved
The Korea Aerospace Administration (KASA, Administrator Yoon Youngbin) and the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI, President Lee Sangchul) announced that Arirang 7 (Korean Multi-Purpose Practical Satellite 7, KOMPSAT-7), was successfully launched from the French Guiana Space Centre at 2:21 a.m. KST on December 2. (2:21p.m. local time, December 1)
Approximately 44 minutes after launch, Arirang 7 successfully separated from the VEGA-C rocket as planned. About an hour and 9 minutes later, the satellite successfully established its first communication with the Troll Ground Station in Antarctica.
Through this communication, KARI confirmed Arirang 7's initial status and verified that the satellite had successfully reached its target orbit via the launch service provider, Arianespace.
After completing orbital tests and initial operations, Arirang 7 is expected to provide full-scale ground observation imagery in the first half of 2026.
President Lee Sangchul of KARI stated, "Arirang 7 is expected to be a satellite that will significantly advance South Korea’s independently developed capabilities in precision Earth observation." He further emphasized, "Once fully operational, Arirang 7 will enhance domestic data collection capabilities for disaster and emergency monitoring, as well as land management, enabling the swift and accurate delivery of critical information."
Administrator Yoon Youngbin of KASA stated, "Thanks to the passion and dedication of many researchers, the successful launch of Arirang 7 has enabled South Korea to achieve world-class development capabilities in the field of Earth observation satellites." He added, "Now, as our matured satellite development capabilities are being extended to the private sector, we will actively support efforts to ensure they become a driving force for Korea's space economy."