Chollian Satellite Sent Into Space

South Korea has a new satellite in orbit.

The Chollian-2B satellite, which was built completely by Korean scientists and engineers, was successfully launched into space in February.

The Chollian-2B is the sister satellite of the Chollian-2A, which was launched in 2018.

The new satellite's objective is to monitor the environment with two technologically advanced sensors.

One sensor will measure air pollution around Asia, while the other will closely observe changes in the ocean environment.

The launch took place from French Guiana in South America on the morning of February 19, Korea time.

The Ariane 5 ECA rocket, operated by the European Space Agency, lifted off and carried the geostationary satellite into space.

Scientists made contact with the satellite soon after it was deployed by the rocket.

In the following two weeks, it was expected to make adjustments before finally settling in a permanent geostationary orbit.

There, it will hover above the Earth and watch over the Korean Peninsula and surrounding regions as it orbits 36,000 kilometers above the equator.

The Chollian-2B is expected to begin sending back meaningful data in October.

The government said the satellite would greatly help in the understanding of various environmental problems faced by Asian nations, including fine dust and global warming.

Korean scientists and engineers spent nine years constructing the Chollian-2B.

Along with the Chollian-2A, it is expected to remain in operation for around 10 years.

 

• orbit ˈɔːrbɪt 궤도  launch lɔːntʃ 개시[출시/진수/발사](하는 행사) / 시작[개시/착수]하다 , (상품을) 출시[출간]하다  Peninsula pə|nɪnsələ

• geostationary dƷì:oustéiʃənèri  <인공위성이> 지구 정지 궤도상에 있는  deploy dɪˈplɔɪ  (군대·무기를) 배치하다  hover ˈhʌvər (허공을) 맴돌다

• made / break contact (전류를) 연결하다[끊다], 교제를 시작하다[끊다]  permanent |pɜːrmənənt  영구[영속]적인 (↔impermanent, temporary)

• equator ɪˈkweɪtə (지구의) 적도  construct |kɒnstrʌkt 건설하다 , 구성하다 (=put together)