Taiwan's second satellite successfully launched from US

[dArKeR]

LOS ANGELES (AFP) - Taiwan successfully launched a rocket carrying the island's second satellite, ROCSAT-2, from California's Vandenberg Air Force Base, officials said.

While the research satellite is officially intended for civilian use, Taiwanese officials said in November that ROCSAT-2 could also be used for military purposes.

The US-based Orbital Sciences Corporation and Taiwan's National Space Program Office successfully launched a Taurus XL rocket at 10:47am (1747 GMT) from the base north of Los Angeles, base officials said Thursday.

"The rocket carries the ROCSAT-2 remote sensing satellite," a statement from Vandenberg said.

"Its mission is to observe and monitor the terrestrial and marine environment and natural resources throughout Taiwan, its remote islands and surrounding ocean for civil applications."

The launch of the French-made satellite that can take high-resolution pictures had been scheduled for January 17 but was delayed.

"Data gathered by the ROCSAT-2 can be used on different fields ... including military," Chen Cheng-hsing, who oversees Taiwan's satellite programme, in November.

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