SEOUL, Dec 30 – South Korea conducted a successful test flight of a solid-propellant space launch vehicle, the country’s defence ministry said on Friday.

The test flight is a follow-up to another launch conducted on March 30. The ministry added that the launch was conducted to strengthen national defense capabilities in areas like independent space-based surveillance and reconnaissance. The ministry also apologized that it couldn’t inform people in advance.

At around 6 p.m., strange rainbow-colored lights were spotted in the sky in several parts of South Korea, including Seoul and parts of Gangwon Province, Gyeonggi Province, and South Chungcheong Province.

The meandering path and color of the rocket caused some witnesses to initially speculate it was a UFO, until the ministry made an announcement.

The three-stage KSLV-II Nuri rocket, designed by the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) to eventually put 1.5-ton payloads into orbit 600 to 800 km (370 to 500 miles) above the Earth, is a cornerstone of the country’s ambitious goals for 6G networks, spy satellites, and even lunar probes.

Reuters