The South Korean military's first reconnaissance satellite, was successfully launched by Space X's Falcon 9 in the early morning hours of December 2 from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, USA.
Reconnaissance Satellite-1 is an ultra-high-specification utility satellite with an electro-optical and infrared (EO/IR) payload based on the multi-purpose utility satellite Arirang-7. It will be equipped with a synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) payload from the second reconnaissance satellite, which is scheduled to be launched sequentially from next year.
Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has been playing a pivotal role in the development of the EO/IR reconnaissance satellite since November 2018, when it signed a contract with Korea Aerospace Research Institute to develop core components and the satellite body, and also participated in system co-design and assembly/testing.
KAI also participates in the overall development of SAR reconnaissance satellites, contributing to the enhancement of the ROK military's surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities. Since November 2018, KAI has been selected as a prototype manufacturer of SAR reconnaissance satellites led by the Agency for Defense Development (ADD) and has been developing SAR satellite constellations.
Upon completion of the development of the reconnaissance satellite system, the ROK military will have the ability to collect observation data in key areas of interest within hours, which is expected to play a key role in the kill chain.
KAI has participated in the development of multi-purpose utility satellites 1 through 7, and has taken the lead in the commercialization of Korean civil space by participating in space projects that have been promoted by the Korean government for the past 30 years, such as the next-generation medium-sized satellite, geostationary satellite constellation, and the Korean launch vehicle development project.
In particular, KAI signed a contract with the Korea Advanced Institute of Defense Science and Technology in May to develop an ultra-small SAR verification satellite, which will contribute to the establishment of a 24-hour surveillance system for key areas of interest through the mass production and clustered operation of ultra-small satellites in the future.
