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An artist’s rendering of the Compact Advanced Satellite 500-4 (CAS500-4). / Courtesy of KAI

The Compact Advanced Satellite 500-4 (CAS500-4), South Korea’s first observation satellite dedicated exclusively to agriculture and forestry developed under the general supervision of Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), has been successfully launched. Following systems and bus diagnostics alongside initial orbital operations, the satellite is scheduled to begin its official mission in the first half of next year.

According to KAI on July 8, the CAS500-4 lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California at 12:12 a.m. on July 7 (local time) and successfully established communication with the Svalbard ground station in Norway at 3:05 a.m.

The CAS500-4 is a wide-swath agricultural and forestry observation satellite. Moving forward, it will execute critical missions such as monitoring crop yields, agricultural water resources, and forest assets.

Leveraging its wide-swath imagery and data capabilities, the satellite will address diverse public sector needs, including analyzing crop growth, forecasting yields, and tracking greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, it is expected to advance the government's disaster response architecture by providing high-precision observations of deforestation and wildfire damage.

Featuring an expansive observation swath of 120 kilometers, the satellite can capture the entire Korean Peninsula in just three orbital passes. By capturing large surface areas simultaneously, the satellite will dramatically shorten observation cycles and ensure the rapid update of critical data.

"Following the successful launch of CAS500-2 last May, the successful launch of the No. 4 satellite is a monumental achievement of the New Space era brought to life through public-private collaboration," said KAI CEO Kim Jong-chul. He added, "Building on today's successful development and launch, KAI will expand its satellite export and space service business as the nation's leading aerospace enterprise, contributing to South Korea's realization of becoming a space economy powerhouse."

                                                                                                           Kim Han-seul