Cape canaveral: South Korea's fifth homegrown military spy satellite has successfully entered orbit following its launch from a U.S. space base in Florida on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. This development, announced by the defense ministry, is anticipated to enhance the country's independent surveillance capabilities.
According to Bahrain News Agency, the Falcon 9 rocket lifted off as scheduled at 1:09 a.m. (U.S. time) from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The reconnaissance satellite was placed into orbit approximately 14 minutes after liftoff. The defense ministry confirmed that the satellite successfully communicated with a ground station around an hour post-launch, signaling normal operation.
The newly launched synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite is the final piece in South Korea's initiative to deploy five military spy satellites by the end of the year. This initiative aims to improve monitoring of North Korea and decrease reliance on U.S. satellite imagery. The ministry highlighted that this launch will enable the military to conduct independent surveillance and reconnaissance across the Korean Peninsula, regardless of weather conditions, by operating the satellites in a cluster.
Of the five planned satellites, the first three have been fully deployed, while the fourth is undergoing operational evaluation. Once all satellites are operational, South Korea will be able to monitor North Korea every two hours.
The defense ministry, along with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, expects that the successful launch will enhance the country's Kill Chain capabilities, which is a critical component of its three-pronged deterrence strategy. Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back remarked that the launch completes the military's independent monitoring capabilities for the Korean Peninsula and committed to further advancements in defense space capabilities.