SEOUL-- South Korea plans to carry out its first test launch of a solid-fuel space projectile next month in line with its project to deploy military surveillance satellites, the defense ministry said Tuesday.

Defense Minister Suh Wook chaired a meeting on the defense science technology in Daejeon, 164 kilometers south of Seoul, to discuss the progress of the military's space project with experts, according to the ministry.

The new solid-fuel engine, developed under cooperation with the Agency for Defense Development, is designed to put small satellites into a low Earth orbit for surveillance operations.

Compared to liquid-fuel space vehicles, solid-based ones are usually simpler and more cost-effective to launch. While it takes around 30 days to prepare the launch of a liquid-fuel projectile, solid-based ones can be ready in less than seven days, the ministry added.

The military said such technologies can be transferred to the private sector in the future to promote the development of the space industry.

Source: Yonhap News Agency