S.Korea's first self-launched satellite fails to reach set orbit

MOSCOW, August 25 (RIA Novosti) - The first satellite launched by South Korea failed to reach its designated orbit pattern on Tuesday, the Yonhap news agency has reported.

The two-staged KSLV-1 rocket failed to deliver the 100-kilogram oceanic and atmospheric research satellite into its target orbit. The rocket was launched from the Naro Space Center, 485 kilometers (300 miles) south of the capital Seoul.

"We can not find the satellite in its designated orbit," South Korean Science Minister Ahn Byung-man said at a press conference in Seoul.

Earlier on Tuesday, Russia's Khrunichev space center, which developed the carrier rocket, said the satellite was in orbit.

South Korea's science minister said the attempt was a "partial flop" and there was so far no explanation for the failure.

South Korea began developing its own space program in 1996. Seoul has already launched 11 satellites since 1992, using foreign carrier rockets and launch sites.

North Korea launched a multistage rocket on April 5 that it said was carrying a communications satellite, in defiance of international pressure from the United States, Japan, South Korea and other countries, which condemned the test launch of a Taepodong-2 long-range missile.