Korea Launches Satellite to Monitor Air Pollution

Published on 2020/02/23 | Source

The Ariane-5 rocket carrying the Chollian-2B satellite blasts off at the Guiana Space Center in French Guiana on Tuesday. /Courtesy of the Korea Aerospace Research Institute

Korea has successfully deployed its geostationary satellite Chollian-2B in space to monitor air pollution.

According to the Korea Aerospace Research Institute, the Ariane-5 rocket carrying the satellite was launched at the Guiana Space Center in French Guiana at 7:18 p.m. on Tuesday. The satellite successfully separated from the rocket 31 minutes after liftoff and made its first contact with a tracking station six minutes later.

The Chollian-2B is on course to reach its geosynchronous orbit some 36,000 km above the Earth in about two weeks. It will begin monitoring levels of nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide and 18 other substances that can cause fine dust pollution eight times a day for 10 years starting next year.

The satellite is also capable of detecting El Nino and La Nina and other climate patterns.

Information from the satellite will be used to provide more accurate weather forecasts and allow Seoul to work with its neighbors to reduce pollution in the region.