ECCK’s valued member, Thales announced the successful launch of the Koreasat 6A communications satellite on November 12, 2024, via a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Ordered in 2022 by KT SAT Corporation Ltd. (KT SAT), South Korea’s national satellite communications operator, Koreasat 6A was designed and developed by Thales Alenia Space, the joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%). As prime contractor, Thales Alenia Space was in charge of the design, construction, assembly, integration and testing of the satellite, as well as overseeing launch preparations. The company is also responsible for satellite positioning and in-orbit checkout, and will be providing operational support over its nominal 15-year service life.
Based on Thales Alenia Space’s Spacebus 4000B2 platform, Koreasat 6A will replace the Koreasat 6 satellite currently in orbit, delivering fixed and broadcast satellite services to South Korea from its geostationary orbital slot at 116° East. Koreasat 6A will also make a key contribution to improving the positioning accuracy and reliability of the Korea Augmentation Satellite System (KASS) with its Satellite-Based Augmentation System (SBAS) payload. Comparable to Europe’s EGNOS system, KASS was developed by Thales Alenia Space in partnership with the Korean space agency KARI. KASS entered operational service at the end of 2023.
According to Thales Alenia Space, with the launch of Koreasat 6A, the Korea Augmentation Satellite System (KASS) can now transition from its initial dependence on the MEASAT-3D geostationary satellite to Koreasat 6A. This upgrade will significantly enhance the positioning performance of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) across various sectors, with a particular focus on air navigation. Over time, these services are expected to extend to other applications, including overland transportation, shipping, and location-based services (LBS).
“I am delighted to see that Koreasat 6A has been successfully launched and will now be enhancing satellite-based communication and navigation services in South Korea,” stated Hervé Derrey, Thales Alenia Space CEO. “Our teams can be proud of this accomplishment, which marks a new milestone in the longstanding collaboration with our customer KT SAT, following in the footsteps of Koreasat 5, Koreasat 6, Koreasat 5A, and Koreasat 7.”
[Thales] Koreasat 6A communications satellite successfully launched
ECCK’s valued member, Thales announced the successful launch of the Koreasat 6A communications satellite on November 12, 2024, via a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Ordered in 2022 by KT SAT Corporation Ltd. (KT SAT), South Korea’s national satellite communications operator, Koreasat 6A was designed and developed by Thales Alenia Space, the joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%). As prime contractor, Thales Alenia Space was in charge of the design, construction, assembly, integration and testing of the satellite, as well as overseeing launch preparations. The company is also responsible for satellite positioning and in-orbit checkout, and will be providing operational support over its nominal 15-year service life.
Based on Thales Alenia Space’s Spacebus 4000B2 platform, Koreasat 6A will replace the Koreasat 6 satellite currently in orbit, delivering fixed and broadcast satellite services to South Korea from its geostationary orbital slot at 116° East. Koreasat 6A will also make a key contribution to improving the positioning accuracy and reliability of the Korea Augmentation Satellite System (KASS) with its Satellite-Based Augmentation System (SBAS) payload. Comparable to Europe’s EGNOS system, KASS was developed by Thales Alenia Space in partnership with the Korean space agency KARI. KASS entered operational service at the end of 2023.
According to Thales Alenia Space, with the launch of Koreasat 6A, the Korea Augmentation Satellite System (KASS) can now transition from its initial dependence on the MEASAT-3D geostationary satellite to Koreasat 6A. This upgrade will significantly enhance the positioning performance of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) across various sectors, with a particular focus on air navigation. Over time, these services are expected to extend to other applications, including overland transportation, shipping, and location-based services (LBS).
“I am delighted to see that Koreasat 6A has been successfully launched and will now be enhancing satellite-based communication and navigation services in South Korea,” stated Hervé Derrey, Thales Alenia Space CEO. “Our teams can be proud of this accomplishment, which marks a new milestone in the longstanding collaboration with our customer KT SAT, following in the footsteps of Koreasat 5, Koreasat 6, Koreasat 5A, and Koreasat 7.”