Satellite manufacturer Thales Alenia Space signed deals with Korean Aerospace Industries and Hanwha Systems to build four high - resolution radar satellites for the Agency for Defence Development in South Korea . Thales Alenia Space, a joint venture between Thales Group of France and Leonardo of Italy, said the SAR satellites will use a specialized 5-meter antenna folded as 24 “petals” that will open in space. The satellites could take images of the earth by day , by night and through clouds . Airbus said the operation would build on that of the four - satellite Cosmo - SkyMed group , with funding from the Italy ’s Space Agency and Ministry of Defence . The Korean satellites , however , would be half the size of their predecessors , thanks to hardware miniaturisation . Thales is jointly owned by French company the Airbus Group and Italian company Leonardo .
Satellite manufacturer Thales Alenia Space signed deals with Korean Aerospace Industries and Hanwha Systems to build four high - resolution radar satellites for the Agency for Defence Development in South Korea . The satellites could take images of the earth by day , by night and through clouds . Airbus said the operation would build on that of the four - satellite Cosmo - SkyMed group , with funding from the Italy ’s Space Agency and Ministry of Defence . The Korean satellites , however , would be half the size of their predecessors , thanks to hardware miniaturisation . Thales is jointly owned by French company the Airbus Group and Italian company Leonardo .