Seoul: South Korea will develop a next-generation environmental and ocean observation satellite by 2033 to succeed the current geostationary satellite, the country's space agency said Tuesday. The Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA) announced that the proposal to develop the Cheollian-6 satellite has successfully passed a preliminary feasibility review for a state-funded research and development project.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the proposed satellite is scheduled for launch in 2033, with an estimated budget of about 770 billion won (US$556.7 million). Cheollian-6 will take over the observation missions of the Cheollian 2B, which was launched in 2020. The new satellite will focus on monitoring the environment and oceans, allowing authorities to detect and track air and marine pollution as well as maritime disasters more efficiently.

The geostationary satellite will be developed using homegrown technologies, including a hybrid propulsion system. It will also be equipped with instruments capable of simultaneously conducting both environmental and ocean observations from a fixed position relative to the Earth, according to KASA.