The country's third military reconnaissance satellite will be launched into space aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 reusable rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
If successful, the satellite, part of the country's project dubbed the "425 Project," would mark a significant advancement in the military's surveillance capabilities.
The project aims to deploy a total of five satellites including one electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) satellite and four synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) satellites.
The impending launch represents the second SAR satellite in the constellation, following the successful deployment of an EO/IR satellite in December 2023 and the first SAR satellite in April 2024.
The new satellite will enable cluster operations with the existing SAR satellite, enhancing South Korea's ability to monitor specific targets with greater frequency and from diverse angles.
SAR satellites can operate in all weather conditions by emitting radio waves and collecting their reflections to create detailed imagery.
The completion of the project will enable South Korea to monitor North Korea at two-hour intervals.
"We will be able to identify any suspicious moves or signs of North Korean provocations more thoroughly," said Seok Jong-gun, Minister of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA).
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