Why is it in the news?

• South Korea successfully launched its second military reconnaissance satellite into orbit using SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket.

More about the news

• The satellite is equipped with synthetic aperture radar (SAR), enabling it to produce high-quality images regardless of weather conditions.
• Reconnaissance satellites provide intelligence on foreign countries’ military activities, including missile launches, ground weaponry, and radio/radar transmissions.
• Major types of reconnaissance satellites include optical-imaging, radar-imaging, and signals-intelligence (ferret) satellites.
• Countries like the US (Keyhole series), China (Yaogan series), and Russia (Persona series) have launched numerous reconnaissance satellites.

• Concerns associated with reconnaissance satellites include the militarization of space, increased mistrust among countries, and the potential dual-use of technology for offensive purposes.
• China’s reconnaissance satellites pose a particular concern for countries like India, as they can gather critical military intelligence.