Korea’s National Land Satellites 3 and 4 to Launch from 2030 with First Private-Built Models

South Korea will begin developing its next pair of national land-observation satellites after the project passed a preliminary feasibility review.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said the 312.9 billion won project will start in 2027. National Land Satellite 3 is scheduled to launch in 2030, followed by Satellite 4 in 2031. The satellites will replace the current operational Satellite 1 and Satellite 2, which is undergoing trial operations, and maintain monitoring for land management and disaster response.

The new satellites will offer wider observation coverage and higher spatial resolution than their predecessors. Their planned mission life will also rise to at least five years, compared with four years for the existing system. The project recorded a benefit-cost ratio of 1.11, with estimated economic benefits of about 471 billion won based on the actual use of National Land Satellite 1.

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National Land Satellites 3 and 4 are a new effort to actively apply the excellent satellite development capabilities of private companies to the public sector.

Satellite 1 began full service in December 2021 and has supported monitoring land changes, managing facilities, overseeing agriculture and forests, responding to disasters and building spatial information. By the end of last year, about 1.6 million images had been provided to central and local governments, public institutions and the public.

The programme will introduce private procurement for the first time in a public satellite project. Instead of relying on a government-led research and development model, the government will specify the required mission and performance, while private companies develop and build the satellites. Kim Won-dae, head of the National Geographic Information Institute, called the approach a new effort to apply private-sector satellite expertise to public services. Satellite 2, launched in May, is undergoing checks and image calibration and is due to join public services with Satellite 1 from the end of the year.

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We will expand high-quality satellite imagery and spatial information services that people can experience, and contribute to the continued growth of the domestic satellite industry.