Chollian-2A
| Company type | Satellite |
|---|---|
| Industry | Space, Meteorology |
| Founded | December 4, 2018 |
| Headquarters | South Korea |
| Products | Meteorological satellite data, space weather monitoring |
Chollian-2A, also known as GEO-KOMPSAT-2A (Geostationary Korea Multi Purpose Satellite-2A), represents a South Korean meteorological satellite that was deployed on December 4, 2018. It functions in tandem with its counterpart, Chollian-2B.
Development
The Geostationary Composite Satellite Development Project was initiated to cultivate indigenous geostationary satellite technologies over the period from July 2011 through October 2020. Utilizing South Korean expertise, the satellite’s design, integration, and validation phases were completed to achieve essential geostationary operational capabilities. Funding for this initiative was jointly provided by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Korea Meteorological Administration, with a combined budget amounting to 325.2 billion won. The Korea Aerospace Research Institute took charge of system architecture and requirements analysis beginning in March 2012.
Satellite assembly commenced in April 2016, followed by comprehensive performance evaluations in 2018, which encompassed tests simulating launch conditions, thermal vacuum environments, and electromagnetic interference assessments.
Technology
Chollian-2A produces high-resolution color imagery at four times the detail compared to its predecessor, Chollian, delivering data every ten minutes through its meteorological instruments. Its observation frequency has tripled, achieving intervals shorter than ten minutes; data transmission rates increased eighteenfold to reach 115 Mbps; and its operational duration was extended by half to a decade. The satellite is equipped with sixteen weather sensor channels—three times more than before.
Furthermore, it carries an additional space weather payload designed to monitor environmental factors that impact communications and satellite functionality, positioned opposite the meteorological instruments.
Mission
The satellite was launched on December 4, 2018, from the Guiana Space Centre. After separation from the Ariane 5 launcher at an altitude of approximately 2,340 km, Chollian-2A established initial communication with the ground station located in Dongara within minutes. The Korea Aerospace Research Institute verified that all systems were functioning properly and confirmed the satellite had successfully entered its preliminary elliptical orbit.
During the subsequent two weeks, onboard thrusters maneuvered the satellite into a geostationary orbit near , followed by a six-month period dedicated to in-orbit testing. Full operational meteorological services were planned to commence in July of the following year.
Outfitted with sixteen weather sensors, Chollian-2A supplies fifty-two categories of meteorological data such as typhoons, heavy rainfall, snowfall, fog conditions, and yellow dust occurrences. It enhances localized detection of intense rain events with a minimum two-hour advance warning and offers improved tracking accuracy for typhoon trajectories. Additionally, it observes space weather activities including solar flare events.
Data acquisition occurs every two minutes over East Asia, with particular emphasis on Korea and neighboring areas.