The Korean military’s fourth reconnaissance satellite is set to launch into space on Monday.
The Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of Korea announced that the military’s fourth reconnaissance satellite is scheduled for liftoff aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 9:48 p.m. KST on Monday.
The satellite, transported to the U.S. last month, completed its final pre-launch rehearsal on March 16.
Following the launch readiness review, the mission is set to proceed as planned on Tuesday.
This launch marks the fourth satellite deployment under the Korean military’s 425 Project, aimed at enhancing medium to large reconnaissance satellite capabilities.
The 425 project involves deploying a total of five reconnaissance satellites: one electro-optical and infrared (EO/IR) satellite (No. 1) and four Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellites (Nos. 2-5). The name 425 combines the pronunciation of SAR (sa) and EO (io) in Korean.
The first satellite, launched in December 2023, became operational in August 2024. The second and third satellites, launched in April and December 2024, are being integrated into the network.
Starting with the second satellite, their military incorporated SAR technology, enabling day and night imaging regardless of weather, enhancing surveillance and reconnaissance precision.
Military officials stated that the successful launch of the fourth satellite would reduce revisit time over the Korean Peninsula, enabling faster and more accurate detection of potential North Korean provocations through constellation operations.
Satellite constellation operations involve multiple satellites working together on the same mission, increasing information gathering, diversifying observation angles, and providing flexibility in case of malfunctions.
The military plans to complete the launch of the final reconnaissance satellite, No. 5, by the end of this year.
Once all five reconnaissance satellites are operational, they will enable monitoring of specific targets in North Korea at two-hour intervals.
Seok Jong-kun, head of the launch management team at the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, stated that with the future launch of small satellites under development, the military will establish independent space capability, strengthening its position as a formidable space power in defense.
