One of South Korea's five military reconnaissance satellites has been out of operation for roughly five months after failures in equipment used to point its radar toward targets, according to an October 12 investigation by MBC. The problem affects satellite No. 4 in a network built to monitor North Korea's nuclear and missile activity. The military says the remaining satellites are working and that surveillance of key targets has not been disrupted.
The spacecraft carries four attitude-control actuators that adjust its orientation so its imaging radar can look at the correct area. MBC reported that at least three are needed for normal operation. One actuator malfunctioned in October 2025, and another fault was reported in late April 2026. Attempts to restore functionality failed, leaving the satellite suspended from operations since mid-May.
A small component with a large role
The loss does not mean South Korea has lost its independent military reconnaissance capability. The satellite network was built as a group precisely to offer repeated opportunities to observe events from orbit. But the failure changes the workload of the remaining spacecraft and limits the margin for further faults. According to the report, similar actuator faults have also been recorded on three other reconnaissance satellites, raising questions that extend beyond a single defective unit.
Defence officials told MBC that they are developing a way to operate satellite No. 4 using the two actuators that remain functional. That would require the military to work around the normal pointing mechanism rather than carry on as if nothing had happened. The timing matters: a repair-warranty period is approaching its end, and the report says contractual compensation would be limited even if the contractor cannot repair the satellite.
South Korea's five-satellite reconnaissance program has been valued at about 1.3 trillion won in the MBC report. The policy issue now is how to preserve monitoring coverage while clarifying responsibility for repeated failures. An effective response will require a technical explanation of the actuators' faults, confirmation of what recovery is physically possible and a review of whether procurement warranties adequately protect public funds.