With 4 spy satellites now in orbit, South Korea bolsters early warning on NK threats

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying South Korea's fourth spy satellite lifts off at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, Monday (U.S. time). Courtesy of Ministry of National Defense

South Korea successfully launched its fourth military reconnaissance satellite into orbit on Tuesday, further outpacing North Korea in an intensifying space race and significantly enhancing its satellite surveillance capabilities.

According to the Ministry of National Defense, the satellite was launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, which lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 9:48 a.m. Korea time, or 8:48 p.m. Monday local time in the U.S.

The satellite was placed into orbit approximately 15 minutes after launch and successfully established communication with a ground station at 12:27 p.m.

This satellite joins three others already in orbit — the first launched in December 2023, the second in April 2024 and the third in November. A fifth and final satellite is planned for launch later this year.

Like the second and third, the fourth satellite is equipped with synthetic aperture radar (SAR) systems, while the first was equipped with electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensors.

SAR satellites can capture high-resolution imagery in all weather and lighting conditions, overcoming the limitations of EO/IR systems which cannot penetrate cloud cover or operate effectively at night.

The series of launches are part of South Korea’s 425 Project, a multiyear initiative with a total budget of 1.3 trillion won ($916 million), aimed at deploying five satellites into low Earth orbit by the end of 2025.

Once all five satellites are operational, the South Korean military will be able to monitor key North Korean military facilities at two-hour intervals, significantly enhancing its ability to detect early signs of provocations.

To date, the three deployed satellites have reportedly captured images and video of central Pyongyang, where North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s office is located, and transmitted the data to ground control stations.

While the military has not released the images due to security concerns, the data is said to be of high quality.

“We plan to complete the launches of all five military reconnaissance satellites within this year. Once we also deploy the ultra-small satellites currently under development, our military will be able to establish an independent space-based defense capability and take a major step toward becoming a leading space power,” said Seok Jong-geun, head of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), which oversees the 425 Project.

A rocket carrying North Korea's first indigenous spy satellite, Malligyong-1, lifts off from a launch site in North Pyongan Province, Nov. 21, 2023, in this photo released by the North's official Korea Central News Agency the next day. Yonhap

Seoul's progress in military satellite project stands in contrast to Pyongyang's repeated failures.

The North launched its first military reconnaissance satellite, Malligyong-1, on Nov. 21, 2023, following two failed attempts earlier that year. It has since announced plans to launch three additional spy satellites.

However, that ambition remains unfulfilled. Its most recent attempt to launch a second satellite ended in failure on May 29, 2024, when the rocket exploded during the first stage of flight. The North attributed the malfunction to a problem with the rocket’s first-stage engine.

Little is known about the technical capabilities of the reclusive regime's indigenous satellite systems, including their imaging sensors, data processing and communication technologies.

South Korea's defense officials believe these capabilities remain limited. Former Defense Minister Shin Won-sik previously described Malligyong-1 as "floating in space without any specific role."

But growing military cooperation between North Korea and Russia has raised concerns that Moscow may be helping Pyongyang overcome its technical hurdles, particularly with engine systems.

North Korea insists its satellite program is a sovereign right to develop space technology. However, its use of ballistic missile technology for satellite launches violates multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions, prompting international condemnation.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and his daughter Ju-ae visit the National Aerospace Technology Administration to attend a ceremony celebrating its first launch of a military spy satellite, in this photo released by the North's official Korea Central News Agency on Nov. 24, 2023. Yonhap