Chollian
| Company type | Satellite |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace / Satellite communications |
| Founded | June 26, 2010 |
| Successor | Chollian-2A, Chollian-2B |
| Headquarters | South Korea |
| Products | Communication services, oceanographic and meteorological data collection |
| Owner | Korea Aerospace Research Institute |
Chollian, also referred to as Communication, Ocean and Meteorological Satellite 1 (COMS-1), was a South Korean satellite launched on 26 June 2010 and managed by the Korea Aerospace Research Institute. It supported communication services as well as oceanographic and meteorological data collection.
Built by EADS Astrium utilizing the Eurostar E3000 platform, COMS-1 integrated technologies derived from both Eurostar and NASA’s GOES satellites. The satellite had a mass of and was equipped with transponders operating in the D/E and K bands within the NATO frequency spectrum, enabling versatile multi-band communication functions. Its solar panels generated a minimum power output of 2.5 kilowatts.
The launch was conducted by Arianespace using an Ariane 5 ECA vehicle from the Guiana Space Centre near Kourou. Launch attempts on 23 and 24 June were aborted due to issues with the rocket’s subsystems; the successful lift-off occurred at 21:41 UTC on 26 June 2010. COMS-1 was deployed alongside the Saudi Arabian Arabsat-5A satellite, separated by a SYLDA adapter.
Following deployment into a geosynchronous transfer orbit, COMS-1 employed its apogee motor to achieve a geostationary orbit positioned at 128.2° East longitude. After completing commissioning tests, it commenced operational service on 1 April 2011, with an initial mission duration of seven years and a design life expectancy of ten years.
The satellite was officially retired on 31 March 2020, after exceeding its primary mission timeline by two years. Its successors, Chollian-2A and Chollian-2B, launched in 2018 and 2020 respectively, maintain South Korea’s ongoing strategic roles in communication and meteorological satellite sectors.