Falcon 9 Launches Koreasat 6A Mission from Florida

On Monday, November 11, a Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, deploying into orbit the latest addition to South Korea’s space fleet, Koreasat 6A. The satellite will replace the existing Koreasat 6, and provide South Korea with both Fixed Satellite Service (FSS) and Broadcast Satellite Service (BSS) capabilities.

*Falcon 9 launches the Koreasat-6A mission to orbit from Florida. Credits: SpaceX*

The SpaceX’s rocket lifted off at 17:22 UTC. At T+7 minutes the B1067 booster separated from the second stage and started descending. The booster, which had already been used in several missions, including Crew-3, Crew-4, two cargo flights to the International Space Station, and twelve Starlink missions, landed eight minutes and 20 seconds later at Landing Zone 1 in Cape Canaveral. Around 35 minutes into the flight the satellite was deployed towards its target orbit.

This launch marked the booster’s 23rd successful landing, setting a record for reusable rockets. In the previous months, two missions failed to accomplish this record: B1061 was intentionally expended during ESA’s Hera mission on October 7, 2024, while B1062 was lost after a Starlink mission landing attempt on August 28, 2024.

Mission overview

The Koreasat 6A mission leads to a notable upgrade in South Korea’s satellite communications infrastructure and GPS positioning precision. The satellite has been developed by Thales Alenia Space on the reliable Spacebus 4000B2 platform as part of a 2022 agreement with KT SAT Corporation, the leading provider of satellite communications in South Korea.

The company oversaw all the main aspects of the realization and testing of the spacecraft and will also provide operational support during its 15-year life in space, ensuring service continuity over time. With a launch weight of roughly 3.5 metric tons, Koreasat 6A is built to offer reliable performance over its extended lifespan.

Deployment of Koreasat-6A satellite confirmed pic.twitter.com/O3P1EtLvM2
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) November 11, 2024

“I am delighted to see that Koreasat 6A has been successfully launched and will now be enhancing satellite-based communication and navigation services in South Korea. Our teams can be proud of this accomplishment, which marks a new milestone in the longstanding collaboration with our customer KT SAT, following in the footsteps of Koreasat 5, Koreasat 6, Koreasat 5A and Koreasat 7.”
— Hervé Derrey, CEO at Thales Alenia Space

The satellite will stay in a geostationary orbit at 116° East and maintain a fixed position relative to Earth. The fact that at that altitude the satellite’s orbital speed aligns with Earth’s rotation makes geostationary orbit an optimal solution for communication, weather, and surveillance satellites. This strategic location, indeed, allows Koreasat 6A to provide uninterrupted coverage over South Korea.

The enhanced data accuracy that this mission can provide is of paramount importance for various applications, especially in aviation, logistics, public safety, and precision agriculture.

The Payload

Koreasat 6A is equipped with an advanced payload designed to meet South Korea’s evolving communications needs. The satellite features twenty Fixed Satellite Service (FSS) transponders and six Broadcast Satellite Service (BSS) transponders, enabling it to provide stable and high-quality communication and broadcasting services.

The FSS transponders deliver stable data transmission and telecommunication services, accessible from fixed ground stations. On the other hand, the BSS transponders support television broadcasting to deliver high-quality TV services across the nation.

Koreasat 6A in Thales Alenia Space's clean rooms at Cannes, France. Credits: Thales Alenia Space/Alban Pichon — *Koreasat 6A in Thales Alenia Space’s clean rooms at Cannes, France. Credits: Thales Alenia Space/Alban Pichon*

Moreover, Koreasat 6A holds a Satellite-Based Augmentation System (SBAS) payload that will integrate with the Korea Augmentation Satellite System (KASS). SBAS elevates GPS accuracy by sending correction messages according to measures received from ground stations through the so-called Signals-in-space (SIS).

Navigation and positioning enhancement with KASS

The Korea Augmentation Satellite System (KASS) was developed through a collaboration between Thales Alenia Space and the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) on behalf of the Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT).

The system was developed to comply with international standards established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The initial focus was on aviation applications, aiming to improve flight safety, operational efficiency, and also reducing aviation’s environmental impact by realizing more precise flight paths.

*A render of Koreasat 6a with its solar arrays deployed. Credits: Thales Alenia Space*

In the first period, KASS began its operations through the MEASAT-3d geostationary satellite, launched aboard an Ariane 5 rocket in 2022, and will now be further supported by Koreasat 6A.

The Korean system is designed to be compatible with both the Galileo system and the Korean Positioning System (KPS). Similarly to Europe’s EGNOS(European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service), KASS is designed to work with other SBAS systems worldwide, allowing aircraft to navigate between different regions easily.