Hanwha Systems to Supply Payload for South Korea's Second Independent Reconnaissance Satellite

Hanwha Systems announced on the 8th that it supplied payloads for South Korea's independent reconnaissance satellite No. 2 equipped with Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR). The satellite was successfully launched on the same day from Kennedy Space Center in Florida, USA, using SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket.

Hanwha Systems Yongin Research Center Satellite Integration Test Facility Cleanroom. [Photo by Hanwha Systems]

Since 2018, Hanwha Systems has participated in the development of core technologies for 'SAR satellites,' including the 'SAR sensor' and 'data link system.' The company will supply payloads for a total of four SAR satellites, including the recently launched No. 2 satellite.

A company official stated, "SAR satellites are unparalleled in distinguishing metallic targets that reflect light well," adding, "They can identify military equipment such as radar, missiles, and tanks made of hardened armor and metal, even when concealed by foliage and camouflage nets."

SAR technology has been utilized in military and intelligence fields since the early 1960s. Recently, it has also been made available for civilian use. It is used to analyze soil moisture to assess crop conditions over large agricultural areas and to explore underground resources. It also analyzes soil liquefaction and crustal movements, which are precursors to earthquakes.

According to the U.S. market research firm Global Market Insight, the SAR market, which was valued at $5.5 billion (approximately 7.4 trillion KRW) in 2022, is expected to record a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10% over the 10 years from 2023 to 2032.

Hanwha Systems anticipates explosive growth in the SAR market due to increasing demand for geographic information in various civilian sectors such as agriculture, urban planning, infrastructure, and natural resource management.

A company representative said, "We are actively investing in new businesses by pioneering not only government reconnaissance satellites but also the civilian satellite sector," adding, "We are collaborating with advanced overseas companies to build integrated satellite solutions capable of global response."