Israel's Elop has begun assembly of the advanced electro-optic space payload for the Korean Multi-Purpose Satellite-2 (KOMPSAT-2), due to be launched in 2003. The South Korean civil observation satellite will be the first to feature Elop's new generation of high-resolution payloads, with a similar payload to be installed in Israel's Offeq-4 intelligence satellite, to be launched next year.
Elop and the South Korean Aerospace Research Institute are jointly designing and developing the payload and ground support equipment (Flight International, 29 February-6 March).
KOMPSAT-2 will feature a high-resolution electro-optic camera with a 1m (3ft) resolution panchromatic channel and four multi-spectral 4m resolution channels, a data compression, storage and transmission unit, and mission management and power supply units. KOMPSAT-2 will supply data for a variety of applications, including earth resources research and monitoring natural disaster areas.
Source: Flight International