Seoul:South Korea is set to launch military reconnaissance satellites aboard its indigenously developed Nuri rocket in 2031, aiming to enhance its space surveillance capabilities, as announced by the Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA) on Tuesday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, KASA Administrator Oh Tae-seok revealed the plan during a Cabinet meeting. This announcement follows Nuri's successful fifth launch earlier this month, which placed five Earth observation microsatellites into orbit. The plan includes at least one Nuri launch each year through 2032.
The 11th launch of Nuri, slated for 2031, will carry four electro-optical (EO) reconnaissance microsatellites. Historically, South Korea has depended on foreign launch vehicles to deploy its military satellites.
In addition, Nuri's 12th launch in 2032 is expected to deliver three companion satellites designed to operate alongside the Arirang 8 multipurpose satellite. The Arirang 8 will be equipped with synthetic aperture radar (SAR) technology capable of capturing images under various weather conditions and during both day and night.
As part of a broader launch schedule, KASA also plans to deploy five more Earth observation microsatellites in the latter half of 2027 and the fifth next-generation medium-sized satellite in 2028.