WASHINGTON/SEOUL — South Korea’s first military communications satellite was successfully launched into space Monday, Seoul’s arms procurement agency said, making the country the world’s 10th to own a communications satellite for military purposes only. The Anasis-II satellite lifted off atop a Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket manufactured by US commercial space firm SpaceX from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 5:30 p.m. (US time), according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA). The South Korean military will take over the system in October after manufacturer Airbus Defense and Space tests its functions and operability, according to DAPA. “With the successful launch of the Anasis-II satellite, South Korea has now been able to secure its first military-only communication satellite, which will replace the ANASIS-I satellite used for both civilian and military purposes,” DAPA said in a release. The satellite is based on the Airbus Eurostar E3000 satellite platform and will provide “secured communications over wide coverage,” according to the manufacturer.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer July 21, 2020 07:10 UTC