South Korea's new multipurpose satellite deployed successfully from a space rocket after its launch from a Russian site Thursday.
 
The Korea Aerospace Research Institute said the science satellite, Arirang 3A (KOMPSat 3A), lifted off on a Russian Dnepr rocket at 7:08 in the morning from the Yasny launch base in Russia. About 32 minutes later beacon signals were detected by Norway’s Troll Satellite Station in Antarctica.
 
The Arirang 3A is the first Korean satellite equipped with an infrared sensor which can monitor natural disasters, such as forest fires and volcanic activity, and detect changes in the climate and the environment.
 
In conjunction with the Arirang 5 satellite launched in August 2013, the new satellite will facilitate round-the-clock monitoring of the Earth regardless of the weather conditions or time of day.
 
The Arirang 3A is also equipped with an optical lens that can produce clear images of any surface object greater than zero-point-five meters in diameter.
 
The satellite will orbit the earth at an altitude of 528 km for four years.