SpaceX Launches South Korea’s Second Spy Satellite

South Korea’s defence ministry announced on Monday that the country’s second domestically produced spy satellite had successfully entered orbit following its launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the John F. Kennedy Space Centre in Florida.

This launch, which follows the deployment of Seoul’s first spy satellite from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base in December, was livestreamed on various social media platforms.

The Falcon 9 rocket was launched at 2317 GMT on Sunday, and the satellite successfully detached from the launch vehicle 45 minutes later, reaching its intended orbit, according to the ministry’s statement.

Approximately two hours and 40 minutes after launch, the satellite established successful communication with a ground station.

These consecutive launches of reconnaissance satellites coincide with heightened competition between South Korea and North Korea for military capabilities in space.

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After two previous unsuccessful attempts, Pyongyang announced in November of last year that it had successfully placed its Malligyong-1

North Korea has previously vowed to launch three new spy satellites in 2024.

South Korean defence Minister Shin Won-sik informed reporters that North Korea might launch a second spy satellite as early as mid-April, according to a report by the Yonhap news agency.

Shin’s statement was based on observations of North Korea’s activities by the South Korean military, clarified South Korean defence ministry spokesman Jeon Ha-gyu during a briefing.

Seoul’s second spy satellite is equipped with a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) capable of producing images regardless of weather conditions due to how it processes data.

Reuters