South Korea has successfully launched a precision aviation satellite Thursday by leasing space on Malaysia’s MEASAT-3d communication satellite for 15 years, reports The Korea Herald. The first satellite for the Korea Augmentation Satellite System (KASS) will improve the accuracy and reliability of GPS signals for pilots, increasing airline flight safety.
The satellite lifted off from Guiana Space Center in Kourou in French Guiana at 6:50 a.m. Thursday (Seoul time), and successfully separated from the rocket at around 7:18 a.m. after the fairing and first stage rocket separations.
In development since 2014, the KASS system can improve the GPS position error to 1.0 to 1.6 meters from the current 15-33 meter level in real time to ensure positioning reliability throughout the country.
The government plans to begin a pilot service around December before its full-fledged operation next year.
South Korea is the seventh country to have a geosynchronous satellite system officially registered with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The others are the United States, Russia, China, the European Union, India and Japan.
The Korea Augmentation Satellite System will improve airline safety over Korea.
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