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KITSAT Korea Institute of Technology Satellite

KITSAT [Korea Institute of Technology Satellite] is a science satellite program run from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST).

KITSAT 1 - In August 1992, KITSAT-1 South Korea's first satellite was launched as a piggyback payload on Ariane as part of the Topex/Poseidon mission. KITSAT-1 was a research project encompassing the installation of a groundstation in South Korea. It was designed and constructed by a collaborative group of South Korean and SSTL engineers. The satellite payload included; An Earth Imaging System consisting of two CCD imagers, two lenses and a Transputer Image Processor. A Digital Signal Processing Experiment (DPSE) comprising of two Texas Instruments, DSP, which are used to relay compressed speech in real time and implement advanced data link modulation techniques. The PACSAT Communications System (PCS) which provides digital communications for stations in the Amateur Satellite service. Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) designed the satellite, which was built by students of the Korean Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) under a technology transfer program at the University of Surrey's Spacecraft Engineering Research Group . It is operated from The Satellite Technology Research Center (SaTReC) in South Korea.

KITSAT - 2 - Was launched in September 1993 on Ariane the satellite payload was similar to KITSAT -1 and included; Wide and narrow angle CCD cameras; Cosmic ray and total dose monitors; Digital Signal Processor.The goal of South Korea is to develop and build its own spacecraft from start to finish. A step in this direction was taken with Kitsat 2, which was assembled in South Korea from UK components.

KITSAT-3 [Wooribyul-3] - launched in May 1999 on the Indian PSLV. The main objective of this programme was to develop and perform the in-orbit test of the KITSAT satellite series. The main payload was the Multi-spectral Earth Imaging System (MEIS) a linear imaging system. KITSAT-3 was launched on 26 May 1999 into a Sun-synchronous orbit with an altitude of 720 km. The Satellite Technology Research Centre of the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) is responsible for the development of the KITSAT satellites. The Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) participated in the environmental tests of the KITSAT using the KARI test facilities. KITSAT-3 carries a multispectral charge-coupled device (CCD) camera developed in cooperation with the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa, and several scientific instruments are on board the satellite: an instrument to measure radiation effects on micro-electronics, a high-energy particle detector, a magnetometer and an electron temperature probe. The KITSAT-3 satellite bus system can be utilized for engineering test satellites and education and training of engineers, which will be discussed below. Considerable interest has been shown and advances in the technology of small satellites have been made in many countries. Small satellites are highly effective in terms of cost investment and experience in technology development.

KITSAT-4 - Korea's first space science satellite: (Other names: STSAT-1 or KAISTSAT-4) This mission by KAIST featured a far-ultra violet spectrometer, low energy plasma detector, Langmuir probe, and improved scientific magnetometer. It also incorporated development and in-orbit test of an indigenous small satellite bus and demonstration of high performance 3-axis attitude control capability. Development of advanced technology for future space missions. High performance scientific payload design and research on space science. Communications technology experiments and oceanography research using land and sea based mobile terminals.