Vandenberg: A South Korean Earth observation satellite has successfully been launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, as announced by the country's space agency.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the next-generation medium-sized satellite No. 4 separated from the launch vehicle at approximately 6:42 p.m. Tuesday (South Korea time), roughly two hours and 30 minutes post-liftoff. The satellite was launched at 12:12 a.m. (California local time) or 4:12 p.m. (South Korea time) as part of the Transporter-17 rideshare mission, which included 81 payloads.

The Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA) stated that the satellite is expected to establish its first communication with the Svalbard ground station in Norway about 31 minutes following separation. This satellite is South Korea's first dedicated to agriculture and forestry, supporting applications such as crop monitoring, forest management, disaster response, and climate analysis.

Equipped with a domestically developed wide-area observation camera, the satellite can image the entire Korean Peninsula every three days. If the initial operations proceed as expected, the satellite will undergo a three to four-month period of image calibration and data verification. It is anticipated to begin full-scale service in the first half of 2027, according to KASA.