Overview
- Arianespace’s Vega‑C (VV28) lifted off from Kourou on Dec. 1 at 12:21 p.m. Eastern and deployed KOMPSAT‑7 into a 576‑kilometer Sun‑synchronous orbit 44 minutes later.
- KARI confirmed initial telemetry via Antarctica’s Troll station about 69 minutes after separation and later linked up with its Daejeon ground station, reporting healthy systems and deployed arrays.
- The 1,810‑kilogram satellite features an ultra‑high‑resolution camera, a control moment gyroscope for rapid retargeting, and an onboard computer over three times faster than earlier KOMPSAT craft.
- Arirang 7 is described by Korean officials as the first satellite designed, assembled, tested, and verified entirely with domestic technology, with KAI building the platform under KARI leadership.
- Separately, KASA said Nuri’s fourth flight last week placed 13 satellites into orbit and established contact with the main payload and nine of 12 CubeSats, with attempts ongoing to reach the remaining three; Vega operations are slated to shift from Arianespace to Avio starting with VV29 in early 2026.