KPS 1, ..., 8

KPS 1 [KARI]

KPS (Korea Positioning System) is a regional satellite navigation system under development by the government of the Republic of Korea. The system, consisting of eight satellites, is being developed by the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) and the Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA), with support from Thales Alenia Space (France/Italy). The first satellite is scheduled for launch in 2027, with full operational capability expected by 2035.

KPS is designed to provide independent positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) services for the Asia–Oceania region, focusing primarily on the Korean Peninsula and surrounding areas. The system aims to enhance the precision and reliability of navigation data, particularly for use in sectors such as transportation, communications, finance, agriculture, defense, and disaster management. It will reduce dependency on foreign satellite navigation systems, such as GPS, and provide a stable infrastructure for national security and civilian applications.

The South Korean government expects that the completion of KPS will significantly improve the accuracy of location-based services and strengthen critical infrastructure resilience. The system is also designed to be interoperable with existing global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), including those of the United States, the European Union, Russia, and China, enabling enhanced multi-constellation operations in the region.

Development is being carried out with international technical cooperation, particularly with the United States and the European Union. Thales Alenia Space provides technological assistance for satellite design and navigation payloads. In 2024, the project passed its official certification by South Korean authorities following a preliminary design review, though some satellite development phases were rescheduled for optimization.

The KPS constellation will comprise eight satellites: five inclined geosynchronous orbit (IGSO) satellites and three geostationary orbit (GEO) satellites. The inclined orbit satellites will provide wide-area navigation coverage, while the geostationary satellites will enhance service stability and accuracy over the Korean Peninsula. The system will deliver high-precision positioning data with a target accuracy of less than one meter, comparable to other major regional systems such as Japan’s QZSS.

The satellites will carry navigation payloads capable of broadcasting multiple frequency bands to ensure signal robustness and compatibility with other GNSS. The ground segment will consist of control, monitoring, and data analysis stations located across South Korea to maintain system integrity and performance.

The launch of KPS 1 is scheduled for 2027 on a Falcon-9 v1.2 (Block 5).