SOUTH KOREA LAUNCHES SATELLITE

A rocket carrying South Korea's ninth satellite, the Arirang-2, lifted off Friday from a spaceport outside of Moscow, The Korea Times reported. 
The Korea Aerospace Research Institute said the three-stage rocket listed off as planned at 4:05 p.m. Korean time from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, about 500 miles northeast of Moscow.

The rocket was converted from an intercontinental ballistic missile and is designed to deploy the satellite into a sun-synchronous orbit, the Times said.

A multispectral camera in Airrang-2 will provide high-resolution images for earth mapping, which is used for geographical surveys, environmental observation and searches for natural resources.

Also included in Arirang-2 functions are the ability of the MSC to give visual data on the launch, and possible military activities of the North Korea.

Copyright 2006 by United Press International 

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