The rocket put the "Kwangmyongsong" (shining star) Earth observation satellite into space Sunday, North Korean anchorwoman Ri Chun Hui said on state television. North Korea put another satellite in space in late 2012 after repeated failures.

The success, if confirmed, represents another stride by the Kim Jong Un regime in its efforts to develop a missile that can fly as far as the U.S. mainland. North Korea also said there would be more rocket launches to come.

Sunday's launch drew immediate condemnation from the U.S., Japan and South Korea, which call it a test of North Korea's ballistic missile technology banned under United Nations Security Council resolutions.