The Korea AeroSpace Administration and the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) said on the 2nd that the Multipurpose Practical Satellite No. 7 (Arirang 7) was successfully launched aboard a Vega-C launch vehicle from the Guiana Space Center in French Guiana at 2:21 a.m. on the 2nd (1:21 p.m. on the 1st local time).
Arirang 7 separated normally from the launch vehicle about 44 minutes after liftoff, and then made first contact with the Troll ground station in Antarctica about 1 hour and 9 minutes later. KARI checked through the first contact that the satellite's initial condition was normal and, through the launch vehicle company, confirmed that it had accurately entered the target orbit.
After going through in-orbit testing and an initial operation phase, Arirang 7 is scheduled to begin providing full-fledged high-resolution Earth observation imagery in the first half of 2026.
Lee Sang-cheol, president of KARI, said, "Arirang 7 is an important achievement that elevates the precision Earth observation technology that Korea has independently built," adding, "Once full operation begins, it will be possible to provide faster and more accurate observation data for disaster monitoring, land management, and more."
Yoon Young-bin, head of the Korea AeroSpace Administration, said, "With the dedication and hard work of countless researchers, the successful launch of Arirang 7 shows that Korea has secured world-class capabilities in Earth observation satellites," adding, "We will actively support the diffusion of accumulated satellite development technology to the private sector so it can become a new driver of growth for Korea's space industry and space economy."