Russian Operator Confirms Launch Date for South Korean Satellite From Baikonur Space Center

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The launch of the South Korean Earth observation satellite CAS500-1 from the Baikonur space center is scheduled for March 2021, the Glavkosmos Launch Services company said.

A Sputnik source in the rocket and space industry said the launch was scheduled for March 20.

During the virtual session at the World Satellite Business Week Alexander stated that GK's first commercial launch of the #Soyuz-2.1a LV with CAS500-1 satellite and a bunch of SmallSats is now planned for March 2021 from #Baikonur Cosmodrome. 🛰️ 🚀 @euroconsultEC pic.twitter.com/Cg3VptGSQV

— GK Launch Services (@gk_launch) November 10, 2020

A contract on manufacturing, adapting and delivering the Fregat booster to the Baikonur spaceport for South Korea’s orbiting CAS500-1 was signed between Glavcosmos and the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) ​in 2017, according to Glavcosmos and GK Launch Services' statement.

The primary mission of the CAS500-1 satellite is to make images of the Earth in the panchromatic and multispectral modes.