South Korea to Launch First Radar Spy Satellite by 2010
SEOUL, South Korea, March 22, 2007 - Satnews Daily - Delays in funding have pushed back the launch of South Korea’s first radar spy satellite to 2010.
Arirang-5, officially a “dual use” satellite, is the country’s first satellite deploying a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) that can image ground objects veiled by clouds and smoke. Arirang-5 is capable of providing images in bad weather and at night, and will have a service life of two years.
The satellite’s SAR can also image underground or undersea features for mineral exploration and other purposes, which is the civilian aspect of its dual use nature.
The launch of Arirang-5 has been reset to 2010, a two-year delay caused mainly by funding problems. The satellite, which was to have funding of $98 million this year, will only receive $61 million from the government. Over $58 million has been spent over the past two years to develop Arirang-5.
Prof. Chang Young-keun of Korea Aviation University, who helps devise South Korea’s long-term space projects, said the delay is inevitable since the government failed to secure enough funds to build Arirang-5. He said the satellite would need some $268 million to complete. As a result, it seems to be impossible to launch the satellite next year, which is what the government wants, said Prof. Chang.
Arirang-5 will join the in-orbit Arirang-1 and Arirang-2 in keeping watch over North Korea. Launched in 2006, Arirang-2 is a modern photoreconnaissance satellite with a 1 meter resolution digital camera.
The communist state’s budding nuclear program and its ballistic missiles are a cause of deep concern to South Korea and Japan, which has a fleet of four spy satellites monitoring North Korea. Two of the Japanese satellites, officially called "Intelligence Gathering Satellites," carry SAR.
