Korea AeroSpace Administration, the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries said on the 25th that the three ministries' joint "geostationary environment and ocean satellite (Chollian Satellite 6)" development project has passed a preliminary feasibility study for a national research and development project.
Chollian Satellite 6 is a follow-on satellite that will take over the environment and ocean observation mission of Chollian Satellite 2B, launched in 2020. The total project cost is about 769.4 billion won, with development over seven years starting in 2027 and a launch in 2033.
Based on improved observation performance over its predecessor, the new satellite will observe changes in the atmospheric environment such as ultrafine dust and ground-level ozone, as well as atmospheric impacts from wildfires and changes in the marine environment including red tides, oil spills, and low-salinity waters. The collected data will be used for responses to atmospheric and marine disasters and for related policy making.
On the technology development side, the project will promote domestic development of payloads for geostationary satellites. A hybrid propulsion system combining chemical and electric propulsion, and simultaneous observation technology for environment and ocean payloads, are also included as development targets.
Through this project, the government plans to secure continuity in long-running geostationary environment and ocean observations while expanding the scope of application for domestic satellite development technologies.
The three ministries will proceed with follow-up procedures such as establishing detailed project plans, securing budgets, and selecting research and development institutions. The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment said it will reflect the environmental satellite operation experience accumulated through Chollian Satellite 2B in the follow-on satellite to improve the accuracy of atmospheric observations. The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries also plans to use long-term ocean observation data for responses to climate change, marine policy, and disaster response. The Korea AeroSpace Administration plans to expand domestic development of core technologies and private-sector participation during the development of Chollian Satellite 6.