South Korea launched a second spy satellite into orbit

South Korea launched a second spy satellite manufactured in that country into orbit, the Ministry of Defense announced this Monday, after the launch of the device aboard a rocket SpaceX Falcon 9.

Shortly after, the satellite communicated with a ground station located abroad, the ministry said.

“The second reconnaissance satellite of our armed forces successfully separated from the launch vehicle at 09:02 (12:02 GMT) and entered the planned orbit”the ministry said in a statement.

The satelite “successfully established contact with an overseas ground station at approximately 10:57 a.m. (01:57 a.m. GMT)”he added.

The country launched its first spy satellite in December, also launched from USA by a rocket company Elon Musk.

The latest launches intensify a space race on the Korean Peninsula, after the North launched its first military satellite in November last year.

According to Defense Minister Shin Wonk-sik, it is “highly likely” that Pyongyang will proceed with a “launch in mid-April.”

“April 15 has a special meaning for North Koreaso they might try a launch then”the minister stated this Monday.

April 15 is the birthday of North Korea’s founding leader Kim Il Sung, and military parades and other events are often held there.

The first satellite Seoul launched into orbit has transmitted high-resolution images of central Pyongyang. In principle, in June it will begin the advanced stages of its mission, according to the South Korean news agency Yonhap.

Seoul plans to launch five military spy satellites by 2025 to monitor the North.

When the five are in orbit, the South Korean armed forces will be able to monitor North Korean facilities with images transmitted every two hours, according to state television KTV.

For its part, North Korea claims that its spy satellite has sent images of a US naval base in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and several positions in South Korea.

Seoul claims that Pyongyang received technical support from Moscow for its satellite launch in exchange for weapons for the war Russia against Ukraine.