The Angara 1.2 launch vehicle. Photo: Russian Ministry of Defense.

[Via Satellite 08-01-2016] International Launch Services (ILS) has signed the first commercial Angara 1.2 launch contract with Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) for the launch of the Korea Multi-Purpose Satellite Kompsat 6. The mission is slated for around 2020 from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in Northwestern Russia.

The Angara 1.2 vehicle is Russia’s newest launch vehicle, designed and built by Khrunichev State Research and Space Production Center to serve the small- to medium-range satellite market. The rocket can launch up to 3.5 metric tons to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) or Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO).

Kompsat 6, with an estimate separated mass of more than 1.7 metric tons, will be equipped with a Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) developed and manufactured in cooperation with the domestic Korean industry. A follow-on of the Kompsat 5 satellite, Kompsat 6 will be mounted with a SAR capable of sub-meter resolution.

Russia completed the first test flight of the Angara 1.2 light class vehicle on July 9, 2014 followed by the first launch of the Angara 5.1L heavy lift vehicle on Dec. 23, 2014. The Kompsat 6 Angara mission is to SSO.