Seoul: South Korea’s fifth homegrown military spy satellite has been successfully launched into orbit from a U.S. space base in Florida, utilizing a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. This development, announced by the defense ministry, aims to enhance South Korea’s independent surveillance capabilities.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the Falcon 9 lifted off at 1:09 a.m. Sunday (U.S. time) from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, placing the reconnaissance satellite into orbit approximately 14 minutes after liftoff. The ministry confirmed a successful communication with a ground station about an hour post-launch, indicating normal satellite operation.

The synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite marks the fifth and final installment in South Korea’s initiative to deploy five military satellites by year-end. This effort is designed to improve monitoring of North Korea and decrease reliance on U.S. satellite imagery. The ministry highlighted that the operation of these satellites in a cluster will enable enhanced surveillance and reconnaissance across the Korean Peninsula in all weather conditions.

While the first three satellites have been fully operational, the fourth is currently in the evaluation phase. The ministry intends to further its space capabilities by launching small-sized satellites and securing additional launch infrastructure.

Operating five reconnaissance satellites in a cluster will facilitate quicker and more precise detection of potential provocations from North Korea, supporting the military’s three-axis deterrence strategy. With the full deployment of these satellites, South Korea aims to achieve monitoring capability over North Korea at two-hour intervals.

South Korea initiated its satellite program in December 2023, deploying its first spy satellite equipped with electro-optical and infrared sensors for capturing detailed imagery. Subsequently, three more satellites with SAR sensors have been launched, capable of data collection irrespective of weather conditions.

In contrast, North Korea has been advancing its space-based reconnaissance efforts, successfully launching its first military spy satellite, the Malligyong-1, in November 2023. Despite plans to launch three additional satellites in 2024, North Korea has faced setbacks, including a rocket explosion shortly after takeoff in May last year.