Overview
- A SpaceX Falcon 9 lifted off from the U.S. Space Force base at Cape Canaveral on November 2 to deploy the spacecraft.
- South Korea’s defense ministry, via Yonhap, said the satellite made contact with a ground station after reaching orbit.
- The spacecraft carries synthetic-aperture radar, allowing imaging regardless of cloud cover or daylight.
- The launch caps a planned five-satellite military program focused on surveillance of North Korean activities.
- Officials said completing the constellation is intended to lessen Seoul’s dependence on U.S.-provided satellite images.