South Korea’s first reconnaissance satellite, launched on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket (pictured) in December 2023, is ready to begin full operations. (SpaceX)
South Korea’s first reconnaissance satellite is ready to begin full deployment to support the requirements of the Republic of Korea (RoK) Armed Forces.
This first reconnaissance satellite, launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California in December 2023, has been certified as “combat-capable” by the South Korean Ministry of Defense (MND) after various tests to evaluate its operational capabilities in space, South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced on August 14.
DAPA said the satellite is equipped with electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) sensors for Earth observation.
The satellite’s EO camera uses visible light to capture images from the ground, while the IR sensor generates image information by detecting IR rays and analyzing the IR energy to distinguish objects, making it possible to engage targets even at night.
The satellite will be used for continuous reconnaissance, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) of strategic areas, particularly to monitor “signs of North Korean nuclear and missile provocations,” DAPA added.
DAPA’s Agency for Defense Development (ADD) developed this satellite in collaboration with the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) and companies such as Korea Aerospace Industries, Hanwha Systems and Thales under a program called Project 425. Project 425 was launched in 2018 with the goal of launching five reconnaissance satellites by 2025.
In April, the Department of Defense announced that the second reconnaissance satellite had been launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Both satellites were launched on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket.
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