Seoul [South Korea], April 8: South Korea has launched its second domestically produced spy satellite from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida (USA) in the context of North Korea's efforts to gain space-based reconnaissance capabilities.
According to the Korean Ministry of National Defense, the satellite took off on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the John F. Kennedy Space Center at 7:17 p.m. on April 7 (local time, the morning of April 8 Vietnam time). The operation to put the satellite into orbit takes about 45 minutes after launch.
"We will check whether the satellite is operating normally or not through contact with ground stations abroad," according to the Korean Ministry of National Defense.
This is the second military satellite launched according to South Korea's plan to have five reconnaissance satellites by 2025 and better perform the task of monitoring North Korea.
According to Yonhap on April 8, this satellite is equipped with a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) sensor to collect data using microwaves and is capable of collecting data regardless of weather conditions. The remaining three satellites are also expected to be equipped with SAR sensors.
Electro-optical and infrared sensors capable of taking detailed images of the Earth's surface were installed on the first satellite launched into orbit from the US Space Force base in California on a SpaceX rocket in December 2023. .
According to analysts, when operating together, the five satellites are expected to provide regular coverage and monitoring for a period of about 2 hours.
In addition to the five satellites, South Korean defense agencies are said to be working to purchase about 50 - 60 small and micro reconnaissance satellites by 2030, which are expected to provide coverage and provide data. about the situation on the Korean Peninsula every 30 minutes.
South Korea's latest spy satellite launch takes place in the context of North Korea's efforts to gain space-based reconnaissance capabilities. North Korea announced that it had successfully launched its first military reconnaissance satellite, Malligyong -1, last November, and it also announced that it would launch three more reconnaissance satellites this year.
Last week, the South Korean military said it was monitoring North Korea's satellite launch preparations at the Tongchang-ri launch site (northern North Korea), but had not detected any signs that a launch was imminent. .
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper
