Posts Tagged ‘Rocket Launch’

North Korea’s Second Nuclear Test Successful

Monday, May 25th, 2009

So it is apparent – North Korea’s second nuclear test was more successful than its 1st which was deemed too weak to be labelled a success.

North Korea hasn’t got much to lose – it is already sanction hit and the nuclear test would give a strong message to President Obama and the world that it means business.

North Korea previously has used situations like this as bargaining games; aid and concessions for negotiations and disarmament. The last time the US compromised with North Korea, the DPRK was left with a security guarantee (nuclear weapons), aid, and removal from the US terror list.

Seismologists recorded ‘artificial’ seismic activity equivilant to a 4.5 earthquake. International responses have been hugely condemning of the North Korean test.

Apparently North Korea also tested a missile around the same time. Perhaps that is symbolic; a nuclear test and a rocket launch, hmm?

Tags: Missile Launch, Nuclear Test, Rocket Launch
Posted in North Korea Military | 2 Comments »

Kim Jong Il Watched ‘Successful’ Satellite Launch

Monday, April 6th, 2009

Kim Jong-Il in the center of his satellite control staff

The leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-Il, watched the successful satellite launch that took place yesterday.

Despite South Korean and US military sources suggesting that the rocket and its payload ditched in the Pacific Ocean, North Korea has given details on its satellite in orbit:

Unha-2, which was launched at the Tonghae Satellite Launching Ground in Hwadae County, North Hamgyong Province at 11:20 on April 5, Juche 98 (2009), accurately put Kwangmyongsong-2 into its orbit at 11:29:02, nine minutes and two seconds after its launch.

The satellite is going round the earth along its elliptic orbit at the angle of inclination of 40.6 degrees at 490 km perigee and 1,426 km apogee. Its cycle is 104 minutes and 12 seconds.
KCNA, North Korean News Agency

Tags: Kim Jong-Il, Rocket Launch, Satellite, satellite launch
Posted in North Korea Military | 1 Comment »

US Military: No North Korea Satellite in Orbit

Sunday, April 5th, 2009

The launch was closely watched and condemned internationally

The US Military has said that North Korea’s satellite rocket that was launched earlier delivered NO payload into orbit and that stage one of the missile fell into the Sea of Japan and the rest landed in the pacific.

This would indicate that the rocket was either a failure or JUST a test for the Taepodong-2 missile as speculated by Japan, South Korea, and the US originally.

However, North Korea claims that the launch was a success and that the satellite has successfully transmitted data.

The more reliable data would come from the international community – North Korea is a heavy censor and has alot at stake in the case of failure. If multiple countries confirm what the US has stated, then that was most likely the case.

Failure or missile test disguise?

Japan has requested an emergency Security Council session and Barack Obama has condemned North Korea for breaking the rules by testing a rocket that could be used as a long range missile.

It’s already known that Japan, the US, and South Korea will want more sanctions placed on North Korea, but Russia and especially China will either reject or minimalise them if they are too harsh.

Tags: Missile, Rocket, Rocket Launch, Taepodong
Posted in North Korea Military | 1 Comment »

North Korea Launches Satellite Rocket

Saturday, April 4th, 2009

The North Korean missile launch as seen from space

North Korea at the top and South Korea, lit up, at the bottom.

North Korea launched its Satellite rocket at 2:30am GMT on April 5th. The launch has been strongly condemned by the international community.

Barack Obama called on North Korea to not provocate the situation anymore.

Some believe that the ‘Experimental Communications Satellite’ could be used for long range ballistic missiles.

North Korea spends most of it’s GDP on the military. Mobile phones are not allowed and all civilian communication is restricted to their own country, even then having limitations. It’d be interesting to see what ‘peaceful purpose’ the communications satellite has – if any.

Tags: Rocket, Rocket Launch, Satellite
Posted in North Korea Military | No Comments »

No North Korea Rocket Launch on First Day

Saturday, April 4th, 2009

North Korea isn't rushing it's launch

North Korea did not launch the rocket on the first day that it was due to launch, which leaves 3 more days to go.

The rocket is due to be launched 2am-7am GMT between 4-8th of April. The presumed reason according to a South Korean expert is that there were high winds at the area of the launch site which made conditions not ‘ideal’.

This also shows that North Korea is not rushing the launch, amid worldwide pressure to halt it.

Barack Obama said that North Korea will face ‘action’. (Diplomatic action to be precise.)

“Should North Korea decide to take this action, we will work with all interested partners in the international comunity to take appropriate steps to let North Korea know that they cannot threaten the safety and stability of other countries with impunity,”

Though, to be honest, this will probably pass with North Korea getting another round of diplomatic pressure such as sanctions unless someone decides to blast the rocket, which North Korea warned would result in war. If that scenario actually happened, then North Korea would have Japan, South Korea, and the US against it as they are the main nations involved in opposing the launch.

Though China has an old treaty with North Korea which states that as comrades they will come to the aid of each other. It’s difficult to say what China would do in such a situation but would they risk international criticism and isolation over a nation that is economically destroyed, politically unstable and unpredictable?

Tags: Barack Obama, Missile, Missile Launch, Rocket, Rocket Launch, Satellite
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North Korea rocket being fuelled and has a Satellite attached

Thursday, April 2nd, 2009

Satellite images reveal the North Korean Launch Pad in Musudan-ri

North Korea has begun fuelling the rocket which is impending launch to put a communications satellite into space within the next few days, despite international calls for it to halt the launch. Final preparations are being made on the launch site, claims a senior US official.

The rocket will be ready for take off about 3 days after fuelling begins, say experts.

After the last Taepodong test failed, the UN drafted a resolution banning North Korea from ballistic activity, and Japan and the US insist that even Satellite launches are covered in the ban – but what does that matter in the eyes of North Korea..

Pyongyang says it will launch during daylight hours between this Saturday and next Wednesday.

Satellite images of the launch site seem to suggest that the rocket has been fitted with a satellite, coinciding with claims from North Korea that this is a satellite launch and not a missile test, as the US, Japan, and South Korea claim.

Tags: Missile, Rocket, Rocket Launch, Satellite, Taepodong
Posted in North Korea Military | No Comments »