New progress has been made in the field of reconnaissance satellites in South Korea

The field of reconnaissance satellites in South Korea continues to advance. The first satellite has been on a mission, and the third one will be launched in the second half of the year.

The South Korean military claims that the country's first reconnaissance satellite has begun its mission. According to the South Korean Defense Acquisition Program Administration on August 14, the "Military Reconnaissance Satellite 1", a core weapon of the South Korean military's "Kill Chain", has officially come into operation.

This first military reconnaissance satellite independently developed by South Korea was launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, the United States, on December 2, 2023. It is a low-orbit satellite orbiting the Earth at an altitude of 400 to 600 kilometers and is equipped with electro-optical (EO) and infrared (IR) reconnaissance equipment, with a resolution of 0.3 meters for the captured images.

On April 8 this year, the second military reconnaissance satellite of the South Korean military was successfully launched at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the United States. Different from the first one, the second one is a radar reconnaissance satellite with all-weather reconnaissance capabilities and is not affected by rainy and foggy weather.

The South Korean Defense Department stated that the Ministry of Defense has evaluated that the satellite developed through the "Project 425" is suitable for combat. This project aims to develop four satellites equipped with synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and one satellite equipped with electro-optical (EO) and infrared (IR) equipment.

It is reported that South Korea plans to launch the "Reconnaissance Satellite-3" in the second half of the year. The South Korean Ministry of Defense once disclosed that by 2025, there will be five reconnaissance satellites in orbit to provide broader reconnaissance and intelligence support for the South Korean Ministry of Defense.

The active development of South Korea in the field of reconnaissance satellites has attracted widespread attention. Relevant experts believe that this will have a certain impact on the regional security situation and military balance, and the international community is also closely following the subsequent developments of South Korea in this field.