South Korea has announced plans to move up the launch date for a radar-equipped satellite that can provide images at night and in clouds.
The Korea Times reports that the Ministry of Science and Technology now plans to launch Arirang V in 2008, a year ahead of Arirang III.
Director Choi Eun-chul told the newspaper that the reason for the move-up is the applications available with synthetic aperture radar.
A final decision on the rescheduling is to be made next month by the Korea Research Council of Public Science and Technology.
The SAR system allows satellite coverage when conditions are bad for photography and even provides images undersea and underground for mineral exploration.
South Korea's has already launched two Arirang satellites, the first by the United States and the second by Russia.
