South Korea will launch the Arirang-3 multipurpose observation satellite from a space center in Japan early Friday.

The Korea Aerospace Research Institute and the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology announced on Thursday that preparations for the satellite’s launch are proceeding smoothly. It said liftoff is expected around 1:39 a.m. Friday at the Tanegashima Space Center.

An official of the aerospace institute said current weather conditions are favorable, adding that preparations for the launch haven't run into any snags.

Equipped with a high-resolution optical camera, the Arirang-3 will operate at an altitude of 685 kilometers for four years on surface observation missions.

The development of the Arirang-3 began in 2004 and costs more than 282 billion won.