Cape canaveral: South Korea’s fifth homegrown military spy satellite has been successfully launched into orbit from a U.S. space base in Florida, as confirmed by the defense ministry. The satellite was carried aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, which lifted off at 1:09 a.m. Sunday (U.S. time) from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and placed the reconnaissance satellite into orbit approximately 14 minutes after liftoff.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the South Korean defense ministry announced that the military plans to verify the satellite’s operational status through communication with a ground station. This satellite, equipped with synthetic aperture radar (SAR), marks the completion of South Korea’s initiative to deploy five military spy satellites by the end of this year. The initiative aims to enhance monitoring capabilities of North Korea and reduce reliance on U.S. satellite imagery.

The deployment of a cluster of five reconnaissance satellites is anticipated to significantly improve the speed and accuracy of detecting potential provocations from North Korea. The defense ministry has previously stated that this network of satellites will strengthen the military’s three-axis deterrence strategy. Once operational, these satellites will enable the monitoring of North Korean activities every two hours.

South Korea’s journey into space-based reconnaissance began in December 2023 with the launch of its first spy satellite, equipped with electro-optical and infrared sensors. Subsequent launches have focused on SAR-equipped satellites capable of gathering data irrespective of weather conditions. Meanwhile, North Korea has also been advancing its reconnaissance capabilities. In November 2023, the North launched its first military spy satellite, the Malligyong-1, and has expressed intentions to launch three more spy satellites in 2024. However, a recent attempt ended unsuccessfully when a rocket exploded shortly after takeoff in May last year.