The nation's first geostationary ocean-weather satellite has reached orbit after being launched from Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana.

The Cheollian blasted off on an Ariane 5-ECA rocket Sunday morning, Korean time.

The fairings covering the satellite separated about three minutes after launch. The Cheollian separated from the first-stage rocket about nine minutes after launch.

Arianespace, a launch services provider, says the satellite separated from the second-stage rocket about 32 minutes after takeoff.

Dongara ground station in Australia established initial contact with the Cheollian at 7:19 a.m., 38 minutes after launch.

The satellite will provide communications and maritime and climate data from geostationary orbit for seven years at an altitude of 36-thousand kilometers.

The Cheollian was originally scheduled to launch Thursday but was delayed due to technical problems.