South Korea plans to put its first satellite for meteorological observation into orbit in 2008, the government said Tuesday.
The Ministry of Science and Technology said it plans to put a 2.5-ton satellite dedicated to maritime and weather observations into orbit 36,000 kilometers above the equator in December 2008.
The satellite, to be equipped with a high-powered meteorological optical camera, is expected to aid weather authorities, as the country's weather forecasts now depend heavily on U.S. and Japanese satellites.
"There have been cases of difficulty, for example during floods, in the past since Japanese satellites usually relay information (on South Korea's weather) on an hourly basis," said Choi Sung-bong, the head of the latest satellite program by the state-run Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI).
"The new satellite should offer great help, as it can provide weather information every five to seven minutes," he added.
The satellite is to move in a geostationary orbit, synchronously with the Earth's rotation, to monitor the Korean Peninsula around the clock.
It is under joint development by the ministry, KARI and the European Aeronautic Defense and Space Company's branch in Toulouse, France.
Currently, there are only seven countries with their own weather satellites, including the Unites States, Japan and the European Union, according to the ministry.
Seoul, Aug. 22 (Yonhap News)
S. Korea to launch first weather satellite in 2008 |
