3 May 2026 In 2018, a SpaceX Falcon rocket was launched from the Vandenberg Space Force base in California 9. On board she carried 45 satellites, among which was the South Korean research vehicle CAS500-2. The launch of the satellite was planned back in 2022 year on the Russian Soyuz rocket, however, Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine destroyed international partnerships. The deal was terminated and CAS500-2 had to be shelved.
The CAS500-2 is an important part of South Korea's CAS500 program (Compact Advanced Satellite 500). This project, developed by the Korea Aerospace Research Institute, involves the creation of a constellation of five satellites in low Earth orbit. They will collect critical data about planet Earth, which will help in monitoring natural disasters, agricultural management and accurate yield assessment.
Along with the South Korean flagship, more went into orbit 44 satellites, in particular, the devices of Argotec S.r.l, Exolaunch, Impulso.Space, Loft-EarthDaily, Lynk Global, True Anomaly та Planet Labs. Sunday's launch marked SpaceX's 54th space launch since its inception 2026 year.
Source: https://universemagazine.com