South Korea has successfully launched a satellite from Naro Space Center with the help of a number of private space operators and a ground station located at the National Space Centre in Elfordstown, Co Cork. Ground station operator Contec facilitated the launch with data from ground stations located in Ireland, Alaska and Sweden. All three ground stations provided real-time support for the rocket’s payload satellite, which carried four small satellites that will primarily be used for Earth Observation.
Installation of a SAFRAN Legion 400 Antenna and Radome
“It means a lot to support the new launch vehicle of Nuri,” commented Contec CEO Dr Sunghee Lee. “If private companies are given more opportunity to participate in the national space development project, growth of the space ecosystem in Korea will be able to accelerate even more.”
National Space Centre CEO Rory Fitzpatrick echoed these sentiments, saying “Public-private partnerships are the way forward for growing the space industry. This launch of the first rocket successfully developed domestically in South Korea, with support from international private sector operators like NSC, is a great demonstration of what’s possible.”
