[Exclusive] Korea Also Develops Space Warfare Weapons

Ministry of Science and ICT Announces Detailed Plan for 'Capture Satellite 1'
Possible Uses Include Space Debris Removal, Orbital Services, and Space Weaponry

Conceptual diagram of Capture Satellite No.1. Image provided by the Ministry of Science and ICT

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-su] The government has unveiled the blueprint for the launch plan of the 'Capture Satellite No. 1,' officially announced at the end of last year. Nominally intended for space debris removal, it is a technology that can be used for multiple purposes such as orbital services and space military applications. It is evaluated as a full-scale start of core technology development to enter the fierce competition among countries in space development.

The Ministry of Science and ICT announced on the 6th that it plans to develop and launch the 'Capture Satellite No. 1' by 2027 with an investment of about 50 billion KRW, in collaboration with the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) Satellite Research Center. Although this plan was revealed to the public after the Ministry's 2023 work plan announcement on December 28 last year, the detailed contents were kept secret.

This Capture Satellite No. 1 is a small satellite weighing less than 500 kg including fuel. Its designed lifespan is over one year, and the target orbit is between 500 and 800 km. Its mission is to locate and capture satellites such as UriByul No. 1, South Korea's first satellite launched in 1992, and then push them into the atmosphere to incinerate them so they no longer drift in space. Unlike large space debris that falls to the surface, small satellites are drawn by Earth's gravity to enter the atmosphere and burn up completely due to frictional heat with the air.

To achieve this, it will be equipped with vision sensors and infrared sensors for identifying space objects to capture and rendezvous with them. Capture equipment such as a close-range capture net and a robotic arm with more than six degrees of freedom will also be installed to snatch satellites. Transmission devices for data sending, data storage devices, and storable fuel propulsion systems for orbit maneuvering will be onboard. The launch will utilize the 6th Nuri rocket launch scheduled for 2027. Kim Ki-seok, head of the Space Technology Division at the Ministry of Science and ICT, stated, "This plan aims to reduce risks by early disposal of South Korea's space assets whose missions have ended, such as UriByul 1 to 3 and Science and Technology Satellite No. 1, and to strengthen space capabilities through the development and verification of service technologies that can extend satellite missions."

The United States' secret mission small space shuttle X-37B.
Photo by NASA

Specifically, the main body and propulsion system will utilize domestic technologies already secured during the development of science and technology satellites and next-generation small satellites. The vision sensors, LiDAR, robotic arms, space nets, and other capture equipment to be installed will also be developed domestically. LiDAR is an essential device for satellite control that fires lasers to detect obstacles and confirm the surrounding environment.

The most challenging task is the development of precise orbit control technology, which has no prior domestic development experience. Precisely controlling the satellite to move its orbit, capture the target, and rendezvous is an uncharted area for South Korea. KAIST Satellite Research Center and others plan to develop this technology. Ground control will use existing small satellite ground stations, and data reception will utilize overseas ground stations. The government plans to continue developing satellites No. 2 and No. 3 as soon as budgets are secured, advancing the technology. Professor Han Jae-heung of KAIST Aerospace Engineering explained, "If the technology, such as robotic arms, has already been developed domestically, it can be cooperatively applied."

If the development of Capture Satellite No. 1 succeeds, South Korea will simultaneously secure three core technologies essential for the full-scale space development competition: space debris removal, orbital services, and weapons development for eliminating adversary satellites. Space debris is increasing, with 20,000 to 30,000 identifiable objects. Space debris poses collision risks with satellites, probes, and space stations. It also causes problems such as interference with astronomical observations and ground falls of large space debris. Therefore, it has rapidly become an international issue.

The Future-X, a multipurpose tracked mobile flying vehicle reportedly being developed by the Chinese private company Weilai Wuhang. / Photo by China National Space Administration Twitter account

The core technologies of the capture satellite are also used in various other fields. With the advent of the private space development era, demand for orbital services such as satellite repair, resupply, and lifespan extension, as well as maintenance of space stations, is rapidly increasing. Space military technology, i.e., combat use to destroy or disable enemy satellites and force them to re-enter the atmosphere, is also gaining attention.

Major space powers have already developed or are developing multipurpose and reusable spacecraft to meet such demands. China succeeded in an experiment in February last year using the Shenzhou 21 satellite to push a malfunctioning Beidou satellite into a satellite graveyard orbit. The China National Space Administration also announced via Twitter in November of the same year that a domestic private company called FUTURE-SPACE is developing a multifunctional orbital airship named 'FutureX,' which is planned to be launched by 2024 for space debris removal and satellite refueling. The United States, the strongest space power, ended its space shuttle program in 2010 but has since developed two small space shuttles called X-37B, which are deployed on secret missions. Japan and the European Space Agency (ESA) are also developing space debris removal technologies with plans to commercialize them within five years.

Kim, the division head, said, "The space debris problem is serious, and the intensifying space competition between the U.S. and China raises the necessity for developing core technologies for national security." Professor Han also explained, "We are currently discussing plans with the Ministry of Science and ICT to develop and launch Capture Satellite No. 1 around 2026-2027 for the UriByul No. 1 return project."