SEOUL - South Korea is set to launch its first domestically developed spy satellite from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, USA, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The defense ministry confirmed that the launch, initially planned for November 30 but postponed due to bad weather, is now scheduled for Friday local time. A photo on SpaceX's homepage showed the Falcon 9 rocket positioned vertically on the launch pad.
According to Yonhap News Agency, SpaceX detailed that the Falcon 9 rocket is set to lift off at 10:19 a.m. on Friday, with the first and second stage rockets separating 2 minutes and 22 seconds post-launch. The fairing, which serves as a protective covering for the payload, will separate 19 seconds later.
The successful entry of the satellite into orbit will enable it to communicate with a ground station later the same day. This launch marks the beginning of South Korea's plan to deploy four more synthetic aperture radar satellites by 2025, enhancing its ability to monitor North Korea.
This launch follows North Korea's successful placement of its first spy satellite into orbit on November 21, after two prior unsuccessful attempts earlier in the year.