Since the end of 2016 the DFD antennas in Neustrelitz have been acquiring data from the South Korean earth observation satellites Kompsat 3, Kompsat 3a and Kompsat 5. With this “Overseas Ground Station” in Neustrelitz the Korean space agency KARI expands its network of international ground stations. The data will soon be used also by DLR’s Maritime Safety and Security Lab in Neustrelitz. Acquisition of data from additional Korean earth observation satellites such as Kompsat 6 is planned. Kompsat 6 has an expanded X-band SAR capability based on TerraSAR-X satellite technology.
Besides technical supervision of the nation’s satellites, KARI is increasingly challenged to handle the enormous amount of data they generate and to demonstrate their value to Korean users. DLR in Oberpfaffenhofen has expertise precisely in these areas with its mission control centre for earth observation satellite at GSOC and the integration of payload data ground segments and data applications at DFD.
A delegation led by representatives of the Korean Ministry of Science and four colleagues from KARI accordingly paid a visit on 5 December 2017 to the GSOC control centre and to DFD in Oberpfaffenhofen as well as to DLR’s GSOC antenna ground station in Weilheim. The purpose of the visit was to gather ideas and explore possible partnerships for a new Korean earth observation centre. In any event, additional fields were identified for expanding technical and scientific cooperation.
In a small ceremony as part of the meeting on possible cooperation, the head of the Korean delegation honoured DLR colleagues Thomas Kuch (GSOC), Holger Maas and Gunter Schreier (both DFD) for their services to date in facilitating collaboration with KARI.
The South Korean delegation in front of the DFD robot data archive. Third from left delegation head Jinwoo Kim, Director, Space Technology Policy Division, Ministry of Science and ICT, South Korea