South Korea’s second homegrown military surveillance satellite, aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, lifts off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 7, 2024, in this captured SpaceX image. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Apr. 8 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea placed its second military spy satellite in space Monday to beef up its space-based surveillance of North Korea and deter its nuclear and missile threats amid Pyongyang’s own push to launch more satellites.
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket launched the reconnaissance satellite from the John F. Kennedy Space Center in Florida earlier in the day, the second satellite launched under South Korea’s plan to acquire five spy satellites by 2025.
As South Korea has relied on U.S. commercial and military assets for high-resolution imagery, it has been pushing to establish its own independent military satellite network to gather information on North Korea.
Military officials expressed hope that the reconnaissance satellites will serve as an “eye” for South Korea’s Kill Chain preemptive strike system as they will enable the prompt detection of signs of North Korea’s potential nuclear and missile attacks.
The Kill Chain system is a pillar of South Korea’s three-pronged deterrence system that also includes the Korea Air and Missile Defense system and the Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation, an operational plan to incapacitate North Korean leadership in the event of a major conflict.
“Once the military satellites are deployed, they will serve as a starting point to monitor all provocations regardless of weather conditions,” Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Lee Young-su said during a video conference ahead of liftoff from the Kennedy Space Center.
“They are expected to enhance the completeness of the three-axis Kill Chain when integrated into the micro-satellite system in the future,” Lee added.
The second satellite was equipped with synthetic aperture radar (SAR) sensors that capture data using microwaves and are capable of collecting data regardless of weather conditions. The other three satellites will also be equipped with SAR sensors.
Electro-optical and infrared sensors capable of capturing detailed images of the Earth’s surface were fitted on the first satellite launched in December.
The country’s third launch of a solid-fuel space rocket takes place from a barge floating in waters about 4 kilometers south of Jeju Island at 2 p.m. on Dec. 4, 2023, successfully placing a small Earth observation satellite into orbit at an altitude of about 650 km. The 100-kilogram synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite was made by Hanwha Systems. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
When operated together, the five satellites are expected to provide regular coverage at about two-hour intervals, according to analysts.
In the long term, South Korea plans to acquire around 60 small and micro-sized spy satellites by 2030 in addition to the five midsized satellites, which would enable the military to monitor the Korean Peninsula every 30 minutes or less.
The smaller satellites expected to be from a homegrown solid-fuel space rocket currently under development. In December, the military conducted the third flight test of a solid-fuel space rocket.
Solid-fuel ones are known to be simpler and more cost-effective than liquid-fuel space vehicles.
The launch comes as Pyongyang is also making its own efforts to acquire space-based reconnaissance capabilities, which could potentially enhance its precision strike capability of major targets of South Korea and the U.S.
North Korea successfully placed its first military spy satellite into orbit last November and has vowed to launch three more spy satellites this year.
A new type of Chollima-1 rocket carrying a reconnaissance satellite called the Malligyong-1 lifts off from the launch pad at the Sohae satellite launch site in Tongchang-ri in northwestern North Korea at 10:42 p.m. on Nov. 21, 2023, in this photo released the next day by the North’s official Korean Central News Agency. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
The South Korean military has been closely monitoring North Korea’s preparations for its second spy satellite launch around major political events this month.
Defense Minister Shin Won-sik weighed on North Korea’s launch of its second satellite this month in time for major political events.
North Korea’s two major holidays in April are the birthday of the country’s founder, Kim Il-sung, the late grandfather of leader Kim Jong-un, on April 15 and the founding anniversary of the Korean People’s Revolutionary Army on April 25.
“We have been closely watching the possibility of North Korea’s satellite launch in March, but it appears to be making some additional improvements,” Shin told reporters after watching SpaceX’s livestream at the defense ministry.
Seoul officials have speculated the North may have made progress in its space program with technological assistance from Russia following the rare summit between Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin in September.
Although satellites of South and North Korea are currently orbiting the Earth, Shin said there is “a huge gap” between their surveillance capabilities. He earlier said the North’s satellite was not showing any signs of performing other tasks or engaging in reconnaissance.
Pyongyang has claimed the spy satellite took photos of the White House, the Pentagon, major military facilities in South Korea, and the U.S. territories of Guam and Hawaii. But the North has not released related satellite photos.
(Yonhap)
