The final satellite of South Korea’s 425 Reconnaissance Satellite program launched on October 2 (U.S. time) from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, marking the completion of the country’s first surveillance and reconnaissance satellite constellation.
Hanwha Systems said it supplied the synthetic aperture radar (SAR) payload for the fifth satellite, following its contributions to satellites No. 2, 3 and 4. While the overall program is led by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) and developed by the Agency for Defense Development (ADD), Hanwha Systems was responsible for producing and delivering the SAR payloads that underpin Korea’s independent space-based reconnaissance capability.
The 425 program comprises one electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) reconnaissance satellite and four SAR satellites. SAR technology enables imaging regardless of daylight or weather conditions, providing all-weather, day-and-night surveillance. With the fifth launch, the constellation is now complete.
Compared with the earlier satellites, which involved technical collaboration with foreign partners, the fifth satellite achieved a higher degree of domestic development. Hanwha Systems said assembly, integration and testing of the SAR payload — including key electronic modules and the data link — were developed domestically, a milestone it described as significant for national security and the competitiveness of Korea’s space industry.
Hanwha Systems’ SAR payload features high-speed, high-capacity data links for stable image transmission and delivers frequent revisit capability, enabling four to six observations per day over the Korean Peninsula and surrounding areas.
Sung-Chan Song, head of Hanwha Systems’ Space Business Division, said the company is proud to contribute to Korea’s independent reconnaissance capabilities and plans to leverage its satellite technologies to strengthen national security and advance the defense-space sector.
