Spire Global has announced an agreement with HANCOM InSpace – initially a spin-off by Korea Aerospace Research Institute and now a part of HANCOM Group – for Sejong-2 and Sejong-3 two additional satellites with Spire Space Services.
Under this agreement, Spire will build and operate the satellites, expanding the capabilities of HANCOM-1 (Sejong-1).
Together, these satellites will form a constellation for Korea’s first three-satellite remote sensing image data service.
Sejong-1, a Spire satellite carrying an optical payload for Hancom, launched in May 2022 as the first commercial satellite deployed for a private South Korean company.
“Collaborating with Hancom Group on the expansion of their satellite constellation is a testament to the innovative spirit driving advancements in the South Korean space industry,” said Frank Frulio, General Manager of Space Services, Spire.
Dr. Myungjin Choi, CEO of HANCOM InSpace, said: “Collaborating with Spire Global underscores our commitment to advancing the capabilities of our satellite constellation.”
Sejong-2 will serve as an extension of Sejong-1, focusing on maritime, agricultural monitoring and change detection, especially in urban areas, while Sejong-3, equipped with a hyperspectral imager, will leverage its spectral range advantages for applications such as calculating wildfire damage area, analyzing air pollution levels and assessing river water quality.
“With the integration of images from our own multispectral and hyperspectral imagers, Drones and high-performance ground cameras, we are poised to expand our image utilization portfolio even further,” said Dr Choi.
