In an escalating space race amidst rising tensions, South Korea has successfully launched its inaugural military spy satellite merely days after North Korea's claimed orbit of its own reconnaissance satellite.

The South Korean military satellite, propelled into space by SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket from California's Vandenberg Space Force Base, signifies the first of five intended spy satellites scheduled for launch by 2025 under an agreement with SpaceX. Adverse weather conditions initially delayed the launch, which had been slated earlier in the week.

Carried by Elon Musk's SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, South Korea's reconnaissance satellite took flight from the Vandenberg US Space Force Base in California at 10:19 am local time.

Emblazoned with the word "KOREA," the rocket successfully propelled the satellite into orbit, confirmed by Yonhap news agency. Ground control established communication with the satellite shortly after it reached orbit.

According to South Korea's defense ministry, the satellite achieved orbit approximately four minutes post-launch at 10:19 am and established successful communication with a ground station at 11:37 am, indicating normal operations.

This successful launch marks South Korea's acquisition of its first domestically manufactured spy satellite, aimed at monitoring nuclear-armed North Korea. Plans are in place to launch four additional spy satellites by the end of 2025 to enhance reconnaissance capabilities over the North.

Set to orbit between 400 and 600 kilometers (250 to 370 miles) above Earth, South Korea's satellite boasts the capability to detect objects as small as 30 centimeters (11.8 inches), positioning it among the top five globally in satellite technology for resolution and Earth observation, as per Yonhap.

Choi Gi-il, a military studies professor at Sangji University, highlighted South Korea's prior reliance on US-operated spy satellites for North Korea monitoring. He emphasized the significance of this achievement in deploying a reconnaissance satellite, acknowledging the technological challenges involved.

Following North Korea's successful launch of its spy satellite, experts anticipate an enhancement in its intelligence-gathering abilities, particularly over South Korea, potentially yielding crucial data in any prospective military conflicts.

Since its recent launch, North Korea has claimed its satellite has already captured images of significant US and South Korean military sites, as well as photos allegedly depicting the Italian capital, Rome. However, no satellite imagery has been disclosed yet.

The North's satellite, named "Malligyong-1," marks Pyongyang's third attempt to place such a satellite in orbit, following two previous failures in May and August.

South Korea has suggested that North Korea received technical assistance from Moscow, reportedly in exchange for supplying weapons for Russia's conflict with Ukraine.

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