Current Affairs - International - Discussion

South Korea is set to launch its fourth next-generation medium-sized Earth observation satellite aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, USA. The approximately 500-kg satellite is equipped with indigenous high-resolution observation cameras and will orbit at an altitude of 888 km. It is designed to capture images of the entire Korean Peninsula every three days. After four months of in-orbit testing, the satellite is expected to become fully operational in the first half of 2027, supporting agriculture, forest management, disaster response, climate change analysis, and public safety.