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Gyeonggi to become Korea's first local gov't to launch climate satellite

Published: 18 Nov. 2025, 14:41

Gyeonggi is the first local government in Korea to launch a climate satellite, named GyeonggiSat-1, shown here. [GYEONGGI PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT]

Gyeonggi will become the first local government in Korea to launch a climate satellite, the provincial government announced on Tuesday.

The satellite, named GyeonggiSat-1, is scheduled to lift off at 6:18 p.m. on Wednesday from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

GyeonggiSat-1 is an optical satellite designed to monitor changes in urban areas and ecosystems in the Gyeonggi region. Weighing 25 kilograms (55 pounds) and about the size of a microwave oven, the cube satellite is equipped with a high-resolution multispectral imaging system and a high-speed data processor, allowing it to collect detailed imagery at both visible and near-infrared wavelengths.

Orbiting 500 kilometers (310 miles) above the Earth, the satellite will capture images of 14-by-40-kilometer areas across Gyeonggi each time it passes overhead. The data will be used to monitor vegetation, land cover changes and natural disasters, such as floods and wildfires. Powered by solar panels, the satellite is expected to operate for three years, after which officials will decide whether to decommission it or extend its mission.

The Gyeonggi Provincial Government [GYEONGGI PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT]

The provincial government will livestream the launch on YouTube and host a public viewing event at the Planet Gyeonggi Hall inside the Gyeonggi Library. A temporary satellite operations center has also been set up at a community lounge in the basement of the Gyeonggi Credit Guarantee Foundation and will remain open through Nov. 29.

“This satellite launch is more than just a scientific achievement — it demonstrates Gyeonggi’s determination to take the lead in responding to the climate crisis,” said Cha Seong-su, director general of the province’s Climate, Environment and Energy Bureau.

Gyeonggi Governor Kim Dong-yeon first unveiled the satellite project during a press briefing on Aug. 14 last year, naming it as one of his key midterm initiatives. The province established a basic implementation plan that October and selected satellite development and operations partners through an open call in February and March. Final development of the satellite was completed in July.

Gyeonggi plans to launch additional satellites, GyeonggiSat-2 and GyeonggiSat-3, next year. These will be equipped with sensors capable of measuring concentrations of greenhouse gases such as methane and carbon dioxide, with a focus on tracking emissions.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY JEON ICK-JIN, CHOI MO-RAN [[email protected]]