South Korea has postponed a plan to launch its first lunar orbiter until 2020.
 
The Ministry of Science and ICT announced the delay during a meeting of the National Space Committee on Wednesday.
 
The decision was based on a proposal by field researchers that a delay is inevitable given the significant time needed for the development and assembly of the components.
 
Since the proposal was made last year, the ministry's experts' committee had been working to reschedule the launch, initially slated for 2018. 
 
Due to the delay of the plan, the country's goal for sending its first spaceship to the moon will also likely be delayed beyond 2020.