Korean SBAS contract awarded, 2022 set as service launch

February 23, 2017 - By GPS World Staff

The Korea Aerospace Research Institute and Korean telecom company KT will co-develop Korea’s first satellite-based augmentation system, reports The Korea Herald. The SBAS is expected to bring technological advancements to transportation, defense and science.

A consortium led by KT has been selected as the preferred bidder for the project by Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, which commissioned the project to improve the safety of flights during takeoffs and landings.

The government has been devising measures to cut the error range of the current GPS system from 30 meters to 1 to 2 meters, offering more precise location information for flights, helping improve safety and cutting fuel costs, the Herald reports.

The KT consortium, comprised of mobile carrier KT and satellite manufacturer KT SAT, is planning to integrate its fifth-generation (5G) wireless network system with satellite-related technologies for the project.

By 2020, the consortium will complete the installation of the required network equipment and run test services for various industries for two years, with the ultimate goal of launching the GPS service in about October 2022.