Senior executives from LIG Nex1 and L3Harris pose for a group photo during the kick-off meeting for the GK-5 meteorological payload development program, held on February 4 (local time) in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Pictured at center are Choi Jong-jin, Vice President of LIG Nex1 (right), and Paul Wloszek, Vice President of L3Harris (left), along with key officials from both companies. The company announced that it held a project kick-off meeting on February 4 at L3Harris’s facility in Fort Wayne, Indiana, officially initiating full-scale cooperation on the GK-5 meteorological payload. Senior executives and engineering teams from both companies attended the meeting to align on development status, schedules, and governance structures.

GK-5 is a next-generation geostationary meteorological and space weather satellite designed to significantly improve forecast accuracy and timeliness over the Korean Peninsula and East Asia. Compared with the currently operational Cheollian Satellite-2A (GK-2A), the new payload will offer enhanced capabilities for tracking hazardous weather phenomena and conducting persistent regional observations.

The GK-5 program represents a milestone for South Korea’s space sector. Unlike previous government- or research institute–led satellite projects, GK-5 is the first geostationary satellite program in which a private company serves as the prime contractor, responsible for the full lifecycle—from system design and manufacturing to testing, integration, and verification.

Under the division of responsibilities, L3Harris will lead the core design and development of the meteorological payload, while LIG Nex1 will oversee domestic quality assurance, performance testing, acceptance verification, and system integration with the satellite bus. Through this role, LIG Nex1 aims to strengthen its technical capabilities in optics, electronics, thermal control, and data processing, while laying the groundwork for future indigenous payload development.

During the kick-off meeting, the two companies also agreed to establish dedicated working groups covering technical interfaces, quality management frameworks, and test and validation procedures. Beyond GK-5, both sides discussed expanding cooperation into future satellite and space-related programs.

A LIG Nex1 official said the partnership goes beyond simple technology transfer. “This is a strategic collaboration model that embeds advanced space technologies into Korea’s domestic development ecosystem,” the official said. “It will serve as a critical foundation for increasing localization rates and strengthening technological self-reliance in next-generation satellite programs.”

The company added that through the GK-5 project, LIG Nex1 aims to position itself as a core system integrator capable of leading national strategic satellite programs, ultimately evolving into a comprehensive space solutions provider spanning satellites, payloads, systems, and data services.

K-DEFENSE NEWS | Strategic Analysis Desk

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