Status of the Kompsat-5 SAR Mission, Utilization and Future Plans

Abstract

The Fifth KOrea Multi-Purpose SATellite (KOMPSAT-5) is the first X-band (9.66 GHz) Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) mission of Korea that has been operational since its launch on August 22, 2013. It has been administered and managed by the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) from the initial design, development and building to calibration/validation and the subsequent normal operation. Primary aims of the KOMPSAT-5 mission are to extend KARI's existing capability of Earth observation via optical satellites to the all-day and all-weather conditions, and to meet a range of advanced remote sensing needs in general Geographical Information System (GIS) survey and monitoring the ocean, land, ice/glacier, disaster and environment. Besides the primary aims, the KOMPSAT-5 images have been distributed to international organizations such as the International Charter since 2011 and AOGEO (Asia-Oceania Group on Earth Observation) since 2019. The KOMPSAT-5, is still operating normally beyond the original design mission operation. Imaging modes had been enhanced and added to existing modes. The system is also operating orbit maintenance for the InSAR application and the output sigma naught ( $\sigma^{0}$ ) have been used for multitemporal SAR images analysis. This paper introduces overall operation, acquisition, utilization and application related to the status of the KOMPSAT-5 SAR mission. We also discuss the ways to facilitate a wider and active adoption of the KOMPSAT-5 and introduce the future continuation mission, KOMPSAT-6, that KARI is developing as her second SAR mission