Seoul:Hanwha Systems Co. has won a contract to develop synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites as part of South Korea's microsatellite constellation project, aimed at enhancing national security and disaster response capabilities.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the defense solutions arm of Hanwha Group was selected for the SAR satellite development project, which was commissioned by the state-run Agency for Defense Development (ADD), as reported by the Public Procurement Service.
The microsatellite development is a joint initiative involving the defense ministry, the Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA), and the Korea Coast Guard. The project aims to strengthen surveillance of security threats and natural disasters on the Korean Peninsula and in surrounding waters. SAR satellites are capable of capturing images of land and sea irrespective of weather conditions or time of day. By operating a constellation of small satellites, the project allows for more frequent monitoring of specific areas and faster intelligence gathering.
Previously, Hanwha Systems has supplied SAR sensors and data links for South Korea's military reconnaissance satellites.