South Korea's military authorities plan to launch 19 small and ultra-small cluster reconnaissance satellites from this year through next year, following the deployment of five military reconnaissance satellites, it was learned.
According to reporting by The Seoul Economic Daily on the 4th, the military authorities plan to place cluster reconnaissance satellites into orbit alongside the five military reconnaissance satellites to carry out surveillance, reconnaissance, and early warning missions against North Korea.
The 19 small and ultra-small cluster reconnaissance satellites, weighing between under 100 kilograms and under 500 kilograms, will serve as the military's "eyes." They will be launched into low Earth orbit through solid-fuel space launch vehicles over seven separate launches from this year through next year. Of the seven launches, the first will carry one satellite while the remaining six will carry three satellites each, placing a total of 19 satellites into space.
Low Earth orbit reconnaissance satellites operate radar, high-performance cameras, and infrared sensors at altitudes of 400 to 600 kilometers to conduct reconnaissance and surveillance missions. Satellites weighing less than 500 kilograms are classified as small reconnaissance satellites, while those weighing less than 100 kilograms are classified as ultra-small reconnaissance satellites.
"Space authorities have plans to launch more than 60 small and ultra-small cluster reconnaissance satellites for civilian and military use through space launch vehicles, and about 20 of these will be conducted as a classified program under military management and control," a government official said.
From 2022 to 2023, the military authorities successfully placed dummy satellites and privately developed satellites into orbit through the first to third test launches of solid-fuel space launch vehicles. All three launches were conducted from a maritime barge near the southern coast of Jeju Island.
The 19 ultra-small and small cluster reconnaissance satellites under the classified program will also be placed into orbit using the same method. The 19 satellites will be equipped with synthetic aperture radar (SAR), enabling them to obtain all-weather ultra-high-resolution imagery regardless of day, night, or weather conditions.
"Once the deployment of more than 20 military reconnaissance satellites to be launched through the 425 Project and the classified program is completed, our military will be able to conduct surveillance and reconnaissance over North Korea and the Korean Peninsula at 30-minute intervals, compared with the current two-hour intervals," a military source said.
Currently, the military authorities are conducting the Military Reconnaissance Satellite-II Project. As a follow-up to the 425 Project, it plans to additionally launch about 40 small and ultra-small reconnaissance satellites. It is included in the "2024-2028 Mid-Term Defense Plan."
Defense companies set to participate in this project include Hanwha Systems and Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI). Each company plans to launch one verification satellite within this year. While the initial plan was to select a single company to handle satellite launches, the possibility of selecting multiple companies has also emerged.
The main ground station that controls the satellites will be overseen by the Defense Intelligence Command in Anyang. A secondary ground station will be located at the Air Force Operations Command in Osan. Because the small and ultra-small reconnaissance satellites will be used jointly with the civilian sector, a civilian ground station will be built within the National Satellite Operation Center in Jeju.
The ground stations for the small and ultra-small reconnaissance satellites will be developed by LIG Nex1. The ground stations for the reconnaissance satellites are scheduled to be completed within this year.
About 60 percent of the missions for the small and ultra-small reconnaissance satellites are military-related, including surveillance of North Korea. The remaining 40 percent will involve civilian-related missions such as disaster response. However, the military will retain authority over integrated mission planning to ensure conditions for carrying out military operations.
