South Korea to launch 1st rocket

Watch Video

Play Video

South Korea is counting down to its first space launch, which it hopes will quickly make the country the region's newest space power. The rocket has been set up on its launch pad and is expected to blast off later on Wednesday.

This could be the key for South Korea to open the door to its budding space programme.

The Korea Space Launch Vehicle-1, or Naro-1, is 33 meters long. The two-stage rocket was built at a cost of more than five-hundred billion won or four-hundred million US dollars.

Russia's Khrunichev Space Production Center built the main thrusters for the first stage and provided technical assistance.

To fire the rocket, South Korea has set up a space center on an island over 450 kilometers south of Seoul.

The Naro-1 carries a 100 kilogram satellite that will monitor Earth's radiant energy.