South Korea launches first military satellite
Seoul/UNI: A Space X rocket on Tuesday launched South Korea's first military communications satellite into space as Seoul tries to build up its defence capabilities against a nuclear-armed, North Korea.
South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), in a statement on Tuesday, said the ANASIS-II satellite lifted off from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in the US state of Florida at 5:30 pm local time the previous day.
SpaceX, the private rocket company belonging to billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, confirmed the satellite was deployed about 32 minutes after lift-off a report by Al Jazeera said.
DAPA said with this launch South Korea became the 10th country in the world to own a military-only communications satellite, which will provide "permanent and secured military communications".
The satellite is expected to reach its orbit level in two weeks, it said, adding that South Korea's military will take over the system in October after testing.
Seoul is looking to enhance its military capabilities as it pushes to end an arrangement under which, if war breaks out, US commanders would have authority over their combined forces.
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