SEOUL - The South Korean Ministry of Defense announced the successful completion of the third test flight of a solid-fuel space rocket on Monday. This test is a crucial step in South Korea's endeavor to develop an independent space-based surveillance system aimed at monitoring North Korean activities.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the test flight was conducted by the state-run Agency for Defense Development (ADD) from a barge located approximately 4 kilometers south of Jeju Island. The solid-fuel rocket, designed for placing small satellites into low Earth orbit, is part of South Korea's strategy to enhance its surveillance capabilities. Solid-fuel rockets are typically simpler and more cost-effective compared to liquid-fuel counterparts.
The latest test involved the first-, third-, and fourth-stage rockets of the space vehicle, aiming to deploy a small Earth observation satellite, developed by Hanwha Systems, into an orbit of about 650 km. The first two test flights conducted in March and December 2022 focused on assessing the performance of three engines, excluding the first-stage booster.
The Ministry of Defense plans to undertake a full-scale launch upon the completion of the rocket's development to strengthen the military's satellite surveillance system. Details about the schedule for this launch were not specified.
This development follows South Korea's recent successful deployment of its first spy satellite into orbit aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The country aims to launch five reconnaissance satellites by 2025 to enhance surveillance of North Korea, in light of increasing nuclear and missile threats. The test flight of the solid-fuel rocket marks a significant advancement in South Korea's space capabilities and its efforts to maintain security readiness.