SEOUL, South Korea – South Korea launched its largest satellite yet on its nationally developed space rocket early Thursday, the fourth of six planned launches through 2027.

The three-stage Nuri rocket lifted off from the country’s spaceport on an island off the southwestern coastal county of Goheung. Aerospace officials said the rocket placed a 1,137-pound science satellite and 12 microsatellites into a target orbit about 372 miles above Earth.

The Korea Aerospace Administration said the main satellite made successful contact with a South Korean ground station in Antarctica about 40 minutes after liftoff at 1:55 a.m., confirming that it was functioning normally, including the deployment of its solar panels. The 12 microsatellites will contact ground stations sequentially according to

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