Military to Launch Fourth Reconnaissance Satellite on 22nd: "Faster Detection of North Korean Provocations"

Launch to Be Conducted Using SpaceX Falcon 9

The Ministry of National Defense announced on the 21st that the military's fourth reconnaissance satellite is scheduled to be launched aboard SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket at 9:48 a.m. on the 22nd (Korea Standard Time) from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, United States. This satellite is the fourth to be launched under the '425 Project,' which aims to secure medium- and large-sized reconnaissance satellites for the military.

Yonhap News

The 425 Project involves the deployment of a total of five reconnaissance satellites: one electro-optical and infrared (EO·IR) satellite (Satellite 1) and four synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites (Satellites 2 to 5). The name '425' combines the pronunciation of 'SA' from SAR and 'EO' from EO. The first satellite was launched in December 2023 and was operationalized in August last year, while the second and third satellites were launched in April and December last year, respectively, and are currently being operationalized.

The military explained, "If the launch of the fourth satellite is successful, the satellite constellation operation with the second and third satellites, which are currently being operationalized, will further shorten the revisit cycle over the Korean Peninsula, enabling more accurate and faster identification of signs of North Korean provocations."

The military plans to complete the launch of the fifth reconnaissance satellite within the year. Once all five reconnaissance satellites are deployed, it will be possible to monitor and conduct reconnaissance on specific targets within North Korea at two-hour intervals. Seok Jonggeon, head of the launch management team at the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, stated, "If we proceed to launch the ultra-small satellites currently under development, our military will be able to establish independent space capabilities and advance as a strong space power in national defense," adding, "We will continue our efforts to strengthen our national defense space capabilities."