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South Korea launches third space rocket attempt | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
South Korea has launched a rocket in its third attempt to place a satellite into space. | |
Live television footage showed the Korea Space Launch Vehicle-1 (KSLV-1) blasting off from the Naro Space Center at 16:00 (07:00 GMT). | |
Previous launch attempts in 2009 and 2010 failed, and this attempt has been postponed twice for technical reasons. | |
The launch comes weeks after North Korea used its own three-stage rocket to place a satellite into orbit. | |
South Korea's 140-tonne rocket, known as Naro, was partly built domestically and partly in Russia. | South Korea's 140-tonne rocket, known as Naro, was partly built domestically and partly in Russia. |
Russia has said it will back three attempts, meaning if it fails South Korea will have to find another partner. | Russia has said it will back three attempts, meaning if it fails South Korea will have to find another partner. |
South Korea's first attempt, in 2009, launched successfully but the satellite failed to detach while in orbit. In 2010, the rocket exploded seconds after take-off. | South Korea's first attempt, in 2009, launched successfully but the satellite failed to detach while in orbit. In 2010, the rocket exploded seconds after take-off. |
South Korea does already have satellites in space, but they were launched from other countries. | |
An official at the Korea Aerospace Research Institute had earlier told AFP news agency that the weather conditions on Wednesday were "cloudy, but nothing that would stop the launch". | |
Two warships with advanced radar equipment have been deployed off the southern coast to guard the area and monitor the rocket, Yonhap news agency reports. | Two warships with advanced radar equipment have been deployed off the southern coast to guard the area and monitor the rocket, Yonhap news agency reports. |
Pressure for success has increased since North Korea launched a rocket that placed a satellite in orbit on 12 December. It followed the launch by announcing plans for a "high-level nuclear test" and more long-range rocket launches. | Pressure for success has increased since North Korea launched a rocket that placed a satellite in orbit on 12 December. It followed the launch by announcing plans for a "high-level nuclear test" and more long-range rocket launches. |
The UN said the North Korean launch constituted a banned test of missile technology and voted to extend sanctions against Pyongyang. There have been international calls for Pyongyang not to carry out the nuclear test. |