Seoul launches 4th spy satellite to boost surveillance on North Korea
South Korea's military launched its fourth domestically developed spy satellite on Tuesday, advancing efforts to build a constellation of reconnaissance satellites aimed at enhancing the nation's capability to monitor North Korea and detect signs of potential provocations in real time.
The satellite lifted off at 9:48 a.m. from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida aboard a Falcon 9 rocket operated by US space company SpaceX. It successfully separated from the launch vehicle approximately 15 minutes after liftoff and entered its designated orbit. Communication with a ground station was established 56 minutes later, confirming the satellite was functioning normally, according to the Defense Ministry and the Defense Acquisition Program Administration.
The latest satellite is equipped with a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) system, the same technology used in the second and third satellites. SAR satellites transmit radio waves to the ground and capture the reflections to generate high-resolution images — a process that allows surveillance to continue regardless of cloud cover, weather conditions, or time of day.
Following the launch, the satellite will undergo a space-based performance test led by the Agency for Defense Development, followed by operational testing by the military. Once fully verified, the satellite will begin reconnaissance missions.
With the addition of the fourth unit, South Korea's military now operates an increasingly integrated cluster of surveillance satellites. Officials say the system is expected to reduce the time it takes for satellites to revisit key locations, improving the military's ability to detect and respond to signs of North Korean provocations with greater speed and accuracy.
'The satellite was developed through close collaboration between the Agency for Defense Development and domestic companies under DAPA's program management,' the ministry said in a statement. 'Beyond enhancing military capability, this marks a meaningful step in building our own satellite development heritage, in response to the growing strategic importance of space.'
The ministry added it plans to complete its five-satellite network by 2025 — consisting of one electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) satellite and four SAR satellites — which will enable it to monitor specific targets in North Korea at two-hour intervals.
flylikekite@heraldcorp.com
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