South Korea puts second military spy (reconnaissance) satellite successfully into orbit

Posted 18 Apr 2024

2 min read

The satellite was launched by the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
- Satellite is equipped with synthetic aperture radar (SAR) capable of producing images regardless of weather conditions.

About Spy or Reconnaissance satellite
- It provides intelligence information on the military activities of foreign countries.
- It can be either a communications satellite or an Earth observation satellite.
- It can pick up and record radio and radar transmissions while passing over a country.
- Major Types:
  - Optical-imaging satellites: They have light sensors that detect missile launches and see enemy weapons on the ground.
  - Radar-imaging satellites: They can observe the Earth using radar technologies even during cloud cover.
  - Signals-intelligence or ferret satellites: They capture the radio and microwave transmissions.

Countries like US [Keyhole series (KH)], China (Yaogan series), Russia (Persona series) etc. have launched many reconnaissance satellites.
- Radar Imaging Satellite – 2 (RISAT-2) is generally considered to be India’s reconnaissance satellite. It was equipped with SAR.

Concerns:
- Militarization of space,
- Promotes mistrust among the countries (E.g. North and South Korea),
- Can be used as dual used technology (as orbital weapon by placing warheads on a low orbit satellite to be launched at a ground target), etc.
- China’s reconnaissance satellite can collect crucial military information about India, etc.

Articles Sources

Watch News Today