Design of a new KARI Satellite Image Service Platform

To support academic and public applications—particularly those related to disaster monitoring, urban development, and environmental studies in specific regions and events—the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) has operated the Korea Satellite Information Database (KSATDB) web service since 2017. The platform is designed to enhance the usability of Korea Multi-Purpose Satellite (KOMPSAT) imagery across various domains by selectively releasing high-resolution, tile-formatted images.
To further improve public accessibility and foster scientific research in remote sensing and geophysical applications, KARI is developing an enhanced KSATDB platform over a four-year period (2025–2028). This initiative aims to broaden open access to high-resolution satellite data and to establish an integrated infrastructure for data acquisition, processing, and dissemination.
The upgraded system consists of two principal components: the Order Request and Distribution Subsystem (ORDS), which enables orbit-based image acquisition and rapid data delivery, and the Satellite Public Service Subsystem (SPSS), which provides free access to high-resolution imagery for academic and research purposes. The SPSS is composed of two functional modules: “A base processing module” and “A web-based visualization module”.
The “base processing module” generates multi-channel, high-resolution tile datasets for disaster-affected regions, representative nature sceneries, and interesting big-cities, incorporating geometric and radiometric corrections to ensure data accuracy and consistency. The “web-based visualization module” supports real-time rendering of processed tile data in response to user interactions. It integrates advanced visualization tools, including Curtain-view and Geo-linkage comparison functions, which facilitate intuitive analysis of temporal variations.
Furthermore, the platform incorporates a spectral synthesis function to support environmental and geophysical analyses through the web interface. Through this enhancement of KSATDB, KARI aims to advance both academic research and practical applications of satellite imagery in diverse disaster-related studies and to contribute to the broader scientific understanding of remote sensing and geophysical phenomena.