CAS500-3 Satellite Payloads Successfully Acquire Initial Data
- Korea-developed Payloads ROKITS, IAMMAP, and BioCabinet Successfully Complete Initial Test Observations and 3D Printing Mission
The Korea Aerospace Administration (KASA, Administrator Yoon Youngbin) announced that the key scientific and technological verification payloads onboard the Next-Generation Medium Satellite-3, also known as CAS500-3 (Compact Advanced Satellite 500-3), launched on November 27, have maintained stable conditions during the initial two-week operational period and successfully performed functional tests for their observation missions.
The satellite is equipped with the following payloads: the Wide-field Atmospheric Light Observation Instrument (ROKITS), the Space Plasma-Magnetic Field Sensor (IAMMAP), and the Bio 3D Printing-Based Stem Cell 3D Differentiation Culture Verification System (BioCabinet). All three payloads have successfully confirmed their initial operational results.
[Figure 1.]
(Left) Night image captured by the ROKITS auxiliary camera. (Right) The image projected onto a map of the corresponding geographical area. (southeastern Spain).
The Republic of Korea Imaging Test System, ROKITS, developed by the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI), is a wide-field camera designed to capture high-resolution images of Earth's auroras. During its initial functional check period, ROKITS successfully captured its first test images, verifying its core functionality.
Through the test operations, ROKITS confirmed its ability to capture a wide observation range of over 700 km while also capturing detailed terrain, confirming that its imaging functionality is operating normally.
Subsequently, ROKITS will collect information essential for predicting space environmental conditions, such as the energy influx into Earth's atmosphere, through aurora observations.
The Ionospheric Anomaly Monitoring by Magnetometer And Plasma-probe (IAMMAP), developed by the KAIST Satellite Research Center, successfully carried out test observations and is currently focused on securing optimal observation conditions for the full-scale mission during its initial operational phase.
During the initial operational period, IAMMAP is working to identify optimal observation conditions by analyzing the significant variations in the ionospheric plasma and magnetic field environments as it passes through different regions, such as day and night zones, and polar regions.
Through this process, IAMMAP will begin its observation mission to create a global space plasma and magnetic field map that varies by season.
The BioCabinet, developed by Hallym University, is successfully carrying out stem cell differentiation and bio 3D printing in a microgravity environment.
During the first communication after launch, it was confirmed that the internal environment system required to maintain the survival of stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs)* is functioning normally.
* Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are cells created by reprogramming somatic cells into stem cells. The iPSCs onboard BioCabinet are induced to differentiate into heart cells.
Following communication with the ground station, the first bio 3D printing mission was carried out and successfully completed.
Kang Kyungin, Director-General of the Space Science and Exploration Directorate, stated, "With all payloads of the CAS500-3 successfully receiving initial data, we expect that ROKITS' high-resolution aurora observations and IAMMAP's ionospheric plasma-magnetic field monitoring will allow for more precise measurements of the various changes in the space environment caused by solar activity."