Like a car… An era in which satellites can also be photographed on a platform opens. [Science]

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The era of’platform’ satellites will be opened in earnest in Korea. The satellite platform developed by the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (HANG Woo-yeon) is expected to be used by private companies to enter the space business, and the related market is expected to expand. On the 20th, the next-generation medium-sized satellite (car mid-size satellite) for precision 500 kg ground observation developed by Hang Woo-yeon with its own domestic technology will be launched from the Baikonur Space Center in Kazakhstan. The vehicle satellite 1 is scheduled to be launched on the Russian `JSC GlavCosmos Soyuz 2.1a` projectile through preparation procedures such as condition check, fuel injection, and projectile combination before the launch date. The vehicle medium satellite 1 will perform detailed ground observation missions in earnest from June after checking the initial operation process such as communication for two months in a solar synchronous orbit with an average altitude of 497.8 km.

The core of the intermediary satellite project is the standardization of the satellite platform. The intermediate satellite developed by Hang Woo-yeon was made to be able to be duplicated without changing the basic configuration design. General research institutes and private companies can easily reproduce satellites by using a 500kg vehicle mid-range satellite platform without verifying the performance of the satellite system. It is the first time in Korea that such a platform type satellite has been developed.

In general, satellites are largely divided into a main body and a payload. The vehicle-mid satellite succeeded in converting the main body into a standard platform. The main body basically acts to move the satellite. For example, in a ground shooting mission, the main body is responsible for moving and fixing a satellite to an optimal position. On the other hand, the payload is more relevant to the mission. It is the payload that performs real missions such as high-resolution cameras and radar equipment. Companies can simply use this platform to create new satellites. As before, there is no need to newly develop everything from the main body to the payload. This is because Hang Woo-yeon has made a standard platform equipment module to take on the main body role. Now, by changing the joint between the payload and the mounting module that connects it to the main body, private companies can attach the already made payload to the main body and use it. Of course, you can develop a new payload for the platform. This is done by attaching a payload that fits the mission desired by a company or institution to the on-vehicle satellite platform and launching it.

Recently, Korean companies are rushing into the space industry, and Hanwha is the representative. Hanwha Aerospace invested 110 billion won after acquiring Setrec-I, a satellite specialist in January. Hanwha Aerospace plans to have a portfolio that encompasses the entire satellite business, including small satellite bodies, payloads, terrestrial objects, and satellite image sales and analysis services. Hanwha Group Chairman Kim Seung-yeon, the eldest son of Hanwha Group, Kim Dong-gwan, president of Hanwha Solutions, has been selected as the leader of the’Space Hub,’ which will lead the overall space industry.

Defense companies such as LIG Nex1 have also entered the space industry, and Hancom Inspace, an affiliate of Hangul and computer, has also started developing satellites.

Hang Woo-yeon’s goal is to allow these private companies to create satellites that meet their respective needs by using the intermediary satellite platform. The second satellite satellite, scheduled to be launched early next year, is also being developed by a private company, Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI). KAI is in charge of project management and satellite system development. Anti-Won-Yeon only participates in the development of payloads. KAI had transferred the system and body development technology from Hang Woo-yeon at the time of the development of the car mid-satellite 1. Private companies will also lead the development of mid-car satellites 3~5, which began business in 2019.

As it is a platform that can be used by replacing the payload, it is expected that the missions that can be performed by the vehicle-mid satellite will be more diverse. First of all, by attaching an optical camera mount, it is possible to perform ground shooting missions to be performed by the vehicle satellites 1 and 2. When equipped with synthetic aperture radar (SAR) equipment that creates surface images, radar images for water resource management, etc. can be secured. Using a broadband camera, even if the resolution is low, it is possible to shoot an observation over a range of over 100 km at once. In addition to such an earth observation satellite, it becomes a communication satellite when equipped with communication equipment, and a meteorological satellite when equipped with meteorological equipment. According to the anti-accident plan, Units 2-5, which are the second phase of the Intermediate Satellite Project, have different tasks. The intermediary satellite platform will be used for various missions such as space science research and technology verification, observation of wide-area agricultural and forest conditions, and water resource observation.

The low cost of satellite development is also a big advantage of the secondary satellite. The vehicle was successfully developed by administering only 59% compared to Japan and 29% compared to Peru based on a 500kg equivalent satellite. Even if a new satellite is developed through an intermediate satellite platform, it can be developed at low cost. The average development cost of satellites used in the actual mission is more than 300 billion won, and the average development period is about 7 years. On the other hand, the satellite satellite 1 was developed at a cost of 157 billion won in 5 years, and the 2 is expected to be completed in 3 years. The 2nd development cost is expected to be lower than that of the 1st.

In the future, private companies are expected to pay the cost of technology transfer or use of technology to anti-accidents and build satellites based on the intermediary satellite platform. Those companies can pay the cost of satellite equipment rental, manpower support, and facility use in the form of services. Satellites created through the project can be commercialized by companies to make money.

However, so far, participating companies are developing satellites with Hang Woo-yeon. An official from Hang Woo-yeon explained, “Most satellites are tailored to fit the mission,” and “Even if there is an anti-intermediate satellite platform, additional development is needed to fit the mission.” He said, “Because of the nature of the satellite business, private companies are still lacking in satellite development capabilities, so it is necessary to develop satellites with Hang Woo-yeon right now.” Will,” he added.

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