South Korea's first reconnaissance satellite, launched using SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket (pictured) in December 2023, is ready to commence full-scale operations. (SpaceX)
South Korea's first reconnaissance satellite is ready to commence full-scale operations to support the requirements of the Republic of Korea (RoK) Armed Forces.
This first reconnaissance satellite – launched from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California in December 2023 – has been certified as “combat fit” by the Ministry of National Defense (MND) following different tests to evaluate its operational capabilities in space, South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced on 14 August.
DAPA said the satellite is equipped with electro-optic/infrared (EO/IR) and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) sensors for Earth observation.
The satellite's EO camera uses visible light to take images of the ground while the IR sensor generates image information by detecting IR rays and analysing IR energy to distinguish objects, making it possible to engage with targets even at night.
The satellite will be used for persistent intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) of strategic areas of interest, 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 including Korea Aerospace Industries, Hanwha Systems, and Thales, under a programme called Project 425. Project 425 was initiated in 2018 with the aim of launching five reconnaissance satellites by 2025.
In April the MND announced that the second reconnaissance satellite had been launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Both satellites were launched using SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket.
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