South Korea launches its first spy satellite after rival North Korea does the same

VANDENBERG SPACE FORCE BASE, Calif. (AP) — South Korea has launched its first military spy satellite, a little over a week after rival North Korea claimed to put its own spy satellite into orbit for the first time. The launch on Friday from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base used SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket. It was the first of five spy satellites South Korea plans to launch by 2025 under a contract with SpaceX. The launch had been planned for earlier in the week but was delayed because of weather conditions. South Korea has had no military reconnaissance satellites of its own and partially resorts to U.S. spy satellites to monitor moves by North Korea. North Korea claimed to put its own spy satellite into orbit for the first time last month.