Hanwha takes over satellite technology from gov't institute

The state-run Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI) said on Monday it had transferred to Hanwha Systems Co. the technology for satellite flight dynamics system, which includes the proprietary core algorithms for determining, predicting and adjusting satellite orbit.

The transferred technology is an integrated system that determines a satellite's initial orbit using tracking data from ground and space observation systems such as optical, radar, radio frequency and the global positioning system, and then predicts and adjusts future orbit location.

Using the system, the institute has accurately predicted the time and place of the crash on Earth by China's Tiangong-1 space station when it re-entered the Earth’s atmosphere in 2018, and the fall of wreckage from Long March rockets in 2021 and this year.

The technology is also used by the institute's Cassiopeia system to respond to the risk of falling space objects.

Hanwha Systems plans to apply the technology to develop ground station systems as part of operation of its synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites.

SAR technology shoots radio waves from the air to the ground and synthesizes the reflected signals to create an image. As it uses radar instead of visible light, it can be used day and night and in bad weather, making it ideal for Earth observation and military reconaissance purposes.

"With the latest technology transfer, we hope to make meaningful contributions to developing the private-sector space industry," said KASI's Dr. Choi Eun-jeong.

Write to Hae-Sung Lee at ihs@hankyung.com