KOMPSAT 3A

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KOMPSAT 3A is classified as:

NORAD ID: 40536

Int'l Code: 2015-014A

Launch date: March 25, 2015
Source: South Korea (SKOR)
Launch site: Orenburg, Russia (OREN)

Kompsat 3A is an imaging satellite designed for a four-year mission to collect optical and infrared imagery for applications in environmental, agricultural and oceanographic sciences. The satellite will also help emergency managers respond to natural disasters. KARI manufactured the satellite in South Korea, and Europe's Airbus Defense and Space supplied craft's optical imaging camera suite. Kompsat 3A's optical camera can resolve objects on the ground as small as 21 inches (55 centimeters) in panchromatic black-and-white mode. Color imagery will have lesser resolution. The infrared camera on Kompsat 3A is a first for South Korea's Earth observation satellites. It will create thermal imagery, making it possible for analysts to see the ground at night with a resolution of 18 feet (5.5 meters), a capability suited for detecting wildfires and volcanic eruptions. KARI has partnered with commercial companies to sell Kompsat imagery to global customers. Kompsat 3A is the fifth satellite in the Kompsat series to fly since the first one launched in 1999. The fleet includes satellites with optical, all-weather radar and now infrared imaging sensors.