The Multipurpose Practical Satellite No. 7, developed by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), was successfully launched on December 2 at 2:21 a.m. KST from the Guiana Space Center in French Guiana aboard the VEGA-C launch vehicle.
For this mission, KAI led the development of the satellite bus in collaboration with the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI), while also taking part in key areas including joint system design, assembly, and testing of the spacecraft. This solidified the company’s central role in the Multipurpose Satellite 7 program.
The satellite is equipped with a 0.3-meter-class ultra-high-resolution electro-optical (EO) camera, enabling the delivery of high-quality imagery for diverse applications such as land monitoring, environmental assessment, disaster response, urban planning, and scientific research. As a result, South Korea’s precision observation capability for its territory and key regions of interest will be significantly enhanced.
This achievement follows the successful launch of the next-generation medium-sized satellite No. 3 just last week, once again validating KAI’s advanced satellite development and manufacturing capabilities. Leveraging these strengths, the company aims to accelerate the transition toward a new era led by the private sector in Korea’s space development.
KAI has accumulated extensive experience over the past 30 years, participating in major government-led satellite programs including geostationary satellites, next-generation medium satellites, and military reconnaissance spacecraft, beginning with the KOMPSAT-1 program.
Last year, the company also became the first in Korea’s private sector to establish a 4-ton-class large thermal vacuum chamber capable of testing both small and large satellites. KAI plans to further expand its one-stop satellite development infrastructure by adding electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) testing facilities, enabling satellite design, manufacturing, and environmental testing to be conducted in a single location.
“We are delighted to achieve success with the launch of the Multipurpose Satellite 7 following the next-generation medium-sized satellite 3,” said Kim Ji-hong, Head of Future Convergence Technology at KAI. “As Korea’s premier aerospace company, KAI will continue contributing to the nation’s rise as a global space leader by leveraging our 30 years of accumulated expertise in satellites and launch vehicles.”
