ESSP (European Satellite Services Provider) has signed a contract to help set up the future Korean Service Provider for KASS, the Korea Augmentation Satellite System similar to EGNOS.
ESSP has signed a framework contract with Republic of Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) to provide support in setting up the future Korean Service Provider for KASS, the Korea Augmentation Satellite System similar to the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay System (EGNOS), which is operated by ESSP.
The contract — the first between ESSP and KARI — was signed on 25th October at the Toulouse Cité de l’Espace by ESSP CEO Thierry Racaud and KARI Executive Director of Satellite-Based Augmentation Systems (SBAS), Dr. Gi Wook Nam.
The event comes one year after KARI awarded Thales Alenia Space a wider framework contract to develop the KASS system. The KASS system will be based on EGNOS system fundamentals. EGNOS has been successfully operated by ESSP since 2011.
EGNOS was developed by Thales Alenia Space as prime contractor for the European Commission, with the European Space Agency (ESA) as contracting authority.
The Republic of Korea will initially be using KASS to provide aeronautical applications services, including Safety-of-Life services so that it can be used during different flight phases, especially precision approaches and landings. It will eventually extend these services to other applications, including maritime, road or rail.
This latest contract concerns activities in support of the creation of the KASS Service Provider, such as operations and maintenance of the system; the certification process and the definition of the services to be delivered to the aviation users.