astronomy

KOMPSAT-3

KOMPSAT-3 is a astronomy topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand KOMPSAT-3 rather than just read about it. In short: KOMPSAT-3 (Korean Multi-purpose Satellite-3), also known as Arirang-3, is a South Korean multipurpose Earth observation satellite. It was launched from Tanegashima Space Center, Japan at 16:39 UTC on 17 May 2012.

Key takeaways

KOMPSAT-3 belongs to astronomy; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect KOMPSAT-3 to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of KOMPSAT-3 from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

KOMPSAT-3 (Korean Multi-purpose Satellite-3), also known as Arirang-3, is a South Korean multipurpose Earth observation satellite. It was launched from Tanegashima Space Center, Japan at 16:39 UTC on 17 May 2012. Like the earlier KOMPSAT-1 and KOMPSAT-2 satellites, it takes its name from the popular Korean folk song Arirang. Its launch was the culmination of a project begun in 1995. KOMPSAT-3 orbits at a height of 685.1 km (425.7 mi), circling the Earth 14 times per day, and is expected to maintain that orbit for 4 years. It weighs 980 kg (2,160 lb). The satellite carries an Advanced Earth Imaging Sensor System (AEISS), which can distinguish to a 70-cm resolution, allowing the identification of individual vehicles on the ground. The satellite was succeeded by KOMPSAT-5 and KOMPSAT-3A, which were launched on 2013 and 2015 respectively.

History South Korea started the KOMPSAT programme in 1995 to nurture its national Earth-imaging industry and supply services for remote-sensing applications. The South Korean KOMPSAT-3 Earth-imaging satellite was developed by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) and Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI), in partnership with EADS Astrium, to assure continuity with the KOMPSAT-2 satellite launched in 2006. KOMPSAT-3 was orbited on 17 May 2012 by a launch vehicle from Tanegashima Space Center, Japan. SI Imaging Services is the worldwide exclusive distributor of KOMPSAT imagery since November 2012.

Technologies

Orbit KOMPSAT-3 operates in a near-polar, circular Sun-synchronous orbit. The orbital parameters are:

Mean altitude: 685.1 km Mass: 980 kg Inclination: 98.13° (Sun-synchronous orbit) Orbital period: 98.5 minutes Orbital cycle: 28 days

Instruments KOMPSAT-3's instruments are designed to acquire high- and very-high-resolution imagery with a footprint of 16.8 km. The satellite has the capacity to acquire 20 minutes of imagery on each orbit and it can steer its sensors both ways out to 30° off track. Panchromatic and multispectral images can be acquired at the same time. KOMPSAT-3 radiometer features:

Ground receiving stations Two receiving stations deliver KOMPSAT-3 imagery 1 to 3 days after acquisition. The Deajeon station in South Korea is responsible for tasking the satellite.

Advantages and applications of KOMPSAT-3 imagery KOMPSAT-3 is designed for very-high-resolution (VHR) remote-sensing applications, such as:

Land planning: to detect and identify features smaller than 1 square meter, e.g. vehicles, street furnishings, roads and bushes Agriculture: to pinpoint crop or tree diseases Urban planning and demographics: to locate detached houses Civil engineering: to plan road, railroad and oil pipeline corridors Defence: to describe high-value assets or military sites

South Korea It serves along with the existing Kompsat-2 to provide continuous satellite observation of the Korean Peninsula, sending images twice a day at 01:30 and 13:30.

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with KOMPSAT-3

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what KOMPSAT-3 claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In astronomy, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to KOMPSAT-3 before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about KOMPSAT-3 ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of KOMPSAT-3

In research: KOMPSAT-3 appears in astronomy research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses KOMPSAT-3 in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: KOMPSAT-3 is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics KOMPSAT satellites, Korea Aerospace Industries spacecraft, Korea Aerospace Research Institute, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for KOMPSAT-3 outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study KOMPSAT-3 in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what KOMPSAT-3 means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain KOMPSAT-3 out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is KOMPSAT-3 in simple terms?

Why does KOMPSAT-3 matter?

Because it connects several astronomy ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study KOMPSAT-3?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on KOMPSAT-3.