The Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) has contracted with the launch provider Arianespace for it to launch the two satellites in its GEO-KOMPSAT-2 program. The GEO-KOMPSAT-2A (GK2A) & GEO-KOMPSAT-2B (GK2B) will be orbited by Ariane 5 launchers in May 2018 and March 2019 from the Guiana Space Center, Kourou, French Guiana.
Each of the GEO-KOMPSAT-2 satellites will weigh about 3,500 kg. at launch, and will be positioned in geostationary orbit at 128.2 degrees East. The satellites will be built by KARI at its facility in Daejeon, South Korea. The two governmental GEO-KOMPSAT-2 satellites will primarily perform meteorological observation and space weather monitoring (GK2A), and ocean and Earth environmental monitoring (GK2B).
