On March 30, SK Telecom officially announced that the world’s first satellite for mobile multimedia broadcasting (DMB) service has been successfully launched.

The satellite called "Araeahanbyul blasted off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, U.S.A. on March 13, at 00:40 (14:40 Korean time). An SK Telecom official revealed that the launch of satellite has been completed as the 12 meter diameter signal reception antenna was successfully unfolded on March 29 at 05:55 Korean time. This took place 17 days after the satellite blast off.

The "Araeahanbyul" is orbiting at an altitude of 35,785.6 km from the ground after being carried aloft on the rocket "Atlas IIIA" at 14:40 sharp on March 13.
The satellite successfully went into orbit at 15:08 and 39 seconds after separating from the central rocket. It happened 28 minutes and 39 seconds after blast-off from the ground. The first communication was made with reception of a signal transmitted from the satellite at 15:13 Korean time, 33 minutes after blast-off.

SK Telecom officially declared the launch of the satellite successful when 12 meter diameter signal reception antenna successfully unfolded at 05:55 local time, on March 29th. The solar battery plate was deployed on the same day at 19:40, 5 hours after blast-off. After a three week In-Orbit-Test carried out by SS Loral, the satellite management rights will be transferred to Korea’s SK Telecom, and Japan’s MBCo, the owners of the satellite.

This satellite is designed to provide satellite DMB service in both Korea and Japan. In this regard, the two countries agreed to strengthen the cooperative ties in the business, and compete in good faith as they usher in the world’s first mobile broadcasting era.

Japan’s MBCO obtained a preliminary business license from the Japanese government in July last year, and it expects to secure a formal business license by May of this year. Michoguchi Tezya, president of MBCO, revealed that the satellite DMB service will be launched in Japan by July 2004.

In Korea, the Broadcasting Law was revised on March 2nd, and published on March 22nd. Currently the revision of the Broadcasting Law’s enforcement ordinance is under way. Moreover, the government is in the course of granting a business license to service operators, and authorizing broadcasting stations to provide the satellite DMB services.

Shin Bae Kim, president SK Telecom stated, "With the successful launch of the satellite, SK Telecom became a company that owns the world’s first satellite for DMB service. The announcement about the launch of the satellite means that we have completed our preparations for ushering in a whole new mobile multimedia broadcasting era in Korea. SK Telecom will certainly offer the very best in satellite broadcasting services to its customers, thus ensuring the success of the satellite DMB business".

The DMB satellite called "Araeahanbyul" had been under development at Space Systems Loral, located in Palo Alto Ca. in the U.S., since December 2001. It was completed on February 11, and moved to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, and successfully launched on March 13. This satellite was built in a joint effort between SK Telecom and Japan’s Mobile Broadcasting Corporation (MBCO). This was in accordance with a contract for joint possession of a satellite, signed by the two companies in September 2003.

Based on the coverage and the number of base stations each company will operate, SK Telecom and MBCO determined a satellite purchase ratio of 34.66%(SK Telecom), and 65.34%(MBCO) respectively. Therefore, SK Telecom will furnish about 100.8 billion Korean won, out of the total of 291.0 billion won required to cover the cost of satellite purchase, satellite launch, control tower operation, insurance, etc. Under this contract for joint operation of a satellite, SK Telecom will share satellite, insurance, ground control tower, and operational costs. This will result in a saving of about 200 billion won over the cost of operating a satellite on its own.

Young Gil Seo, president of TU Media Corp, which is in charge of the satellite DMB business in Korea, stated, "Developing terminals, and securing the satellite and a frequency is proceeding without a setback. This will introduce the world’s first satellite DMB services. With the successful launch of the satellite, preparations for the service have been completed. We will do our best to be selected as a satellite DMB service operator in the future".

Satellite DMB is a new service that will allow subscribers to access all multimedia broadcast channels at any time and anywhere, via special receivers in mobile handsets and automobiles.