[Edaily Reporter Park Jung-Soo ] Asia Pacific Satellite Inc.(211270)announced on the 8th that its Next-Generation Medium-Sized Satellite No. 4, equipped with the company’s standard on-board computer (OBC) flight model, was successfully launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, USA.
The Next-Generation Medium-Sized Satellite No. 4 was launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, separated normally from the launch vehicle, and successfully established initial communication with the Svalbard ground station in Norway. The Korea Aerospace Administration confirmed that the satellite has successfully entered a sun-synchronous orbit and is in good condition.
Asia Pacific Satellite Inc. had previously signed a contract to supply flight models of the standard onboard computer used in the Next-Generation Medium-Sized Satellites No. 4 and No. 5. The company explained that the launch of Satellite No. 4 has enabled it to secure additional spaceflight references for core electronic components applied to the national satellite platform.
The standard onboard computer is a core piece of equipment that controls the satellite’s main functions and supports mission execution. Asia Pacific Satellite Inc. has established a structure that shortens new satellite development time and reduces costs by applying functional modularization and standard communication interfaces.
The Next-Generation Medium-Sized Satellite No. 4 is an Earth observation satellite that captures images of the entire country on a three-day cycle. Following an initial operational period of approximately four months, it is scheduled to be deployed for public sector missions—including agriculture and forestry management, disaster response, and climate change analysis—starting in the first half of 2027.
An Asia Pacific Satellite Inc. official stated, “The standard onboard computer is a core electronic component that supports the stable operation of the satellite platform,” adding, “Based on the supply experience and modularization and standardization technologies accumulated through the Next-Generation Medium-Sized Satellite project, we will continue to expand our role in national space development projects.”