One step closer to becoming one of the top three geostationary
operational environmental satellite powers
Korea’s environmental research institute and space research institute will pull together with an aim to make Korea one of the top three countries that launch geostationary operational environmental satellite.
On August 29, National Institute of Environmental Research (NIER) under the Ministry of Environment and Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) signed an MOU for three-dimensional environmental pollution monitoring with a multipurpose geostationary to be launched in 2018 and for development of space and environmental research.
Under the MOU, NIER and KARI will monitor drivers of climate change and air pollutants in East Asia using geostationary operational environmental satellite, and make the data public.
To this end, the two institutions will further strengthen cooperation in wide-ranging fields that include design, development and utilization of environmental satellite through convergence in environmental science/engineering and space science/engineering.
In addition, the two institutions plan to not only develop multipurpose stationary satellites and effectively utilize the satellite images, but also establish a cooperative mechanism for building a National Environmental Satellite Center in the future.
By observing environmental pollutants in the Korean Peninsula as well as East Asia with the satellite images to be collected, Korea is expected to lead environmental research in the region.
When the multipurpose stationary satellite is successfully launched, Korea will become one of the top three nations that have the capability to design, build and launch geostationary operational environmental satellite following the U.S. and Europe. If so, NIER and KARI will develop into world’s leading research institutions.
The U.S. geostationary environmental satellite, TEMPO, is planned to be launched in 2017 and Europe’s satellite, Sentinel-4, is being developed to be launched in 2018.
An official from NIER said that environmental research using environmental satellite will help minimize damages from environmental pollutants in the Korean Peninsula, thereby making a healthy environment for the Korean people. He also added that NIER will be able to obtain technology in space environment by working together with KARI.