North Korea's Spy Satellite Explodes in Flight

[Social Media]

 

North Korea’s latest attempt to launch a spy satellite ended in a dramatic mid-air explosion, as confirmed by Pyongyang on Monday. The failure, attributed to the "operational reliability of the engine," marks yet another setback for Kim Jong-un’s regime, which has been fervently pursuing the capability to monitor its adversaries from space. The failed launch was visually documented by Japanese broadcaster NHK, which captured footage of what appeared to be a flaming projectile in the night sky. The projectile eventually exploded into a fireball, an event observed from northeast China, coinciding with the time of the attempted launch.

 

North Korea’s National Aerospace Technology Administration provided a statement via the official Korean Central News Agency, acknowledging the failure. "The satellite exploded in the air during the first flight stage and failed to launch," the statement read. An expert review indicated that the failure stemmed from issues with the "newly developed liquid oxygen and oil engine." This incident follows two previous failed attempts last year and casts doubt on North Korea’s claim of successfully placing the Malligyong-1 (meaning Telescope-1) satellite into orbit in November. Despite Pyongyang’s assertions, Seoul’s intelligence agency has expressed skepticism regarding the satellite’s functionality.

 

 

Seoul and Tokyo swiftly criticized the planned launch, which had been announced by Pyongyang earlier on Monday. The South Korean military detected the launch and confirmed the satellite's presumed explosion in mid-air. "The South Korean and US intelligence authorities are analysing it in detail in close cooperation," stated South Korea’s joint chiefs of staff. The international response was equally critical. The US Indo-Pacific Command denounced the launch as a "brazen violation of multiple unanimous UN Security Council resolutions," warning that it "risks destabilising the security situation in the region and beyond." Japan briefly issued an alert for residents of southern Okinawa prefecture to seek shelter, though it was lifted shortly afterward.

 

This launch attempt occurred just after the conclusion of the first trilateral summit since 2019 involving Seoul, Beijing, and Tokyo. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol emphasized that another satellite launch would "undermine regional and global peace and stability." The development of spy satellites is a top priority for North Korea, as they could significantly enhance its intelligence-gathering capabilities, particularly regarding South Korea. Such advancements would provide crucial data in any potential military conflict.

 

The geopolitical implications of North Korea’s satellite ambitions are further complicated by allegations of external assistance. Seoul claims that Kim Jong-un received technical assistance from Russia for the November launch, in exchange for sending containers of weapons to Moscow for use in Ukraine. These allegations add another layer of complexity to the already tense international relations surrounding North Korea’s activities.

Kim Jong-un’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in September further fuelled suspicions of Russian involvement in North Korea’s space endeavors. Following their meeting, Putin suggested that Russia could help North Korea build satellites. Subsequently, both Seoul and Washington accused Pyongyang of supplying weapons to Moscow, with South Korea alleging that thousands of containers of weapons were shipped for use in Ukraine.

 

Adding to the controversy, reports from Yonhap on Sunday, citing a government official, indicated that a group of Russian engineers had entered North Korea to assist with the launch preparations. This alleged collaboration underscores the broader geopolitical dynamics at play, with North Korea's actions potentially serving broader strategic interests beyond its borders. The repeated failures of North Korea's satellite launches highlight the significant technical challenges faced by the regime. Despite these setbacks, the persistence of these efforts reflects Kim Jong-un’s determination to enhance his regime’s surveillance and intelligence capabilities. However, each failed attempt also invites increased scrutiny and condemnation from the international community, further isolating North Korea and complicating its relations with neighboring countries and global powers.

 

The implications of North Korea's pursuit of satellite technology are profound. Success in this domain would not only bolster its military capabilities but also alter the strategic balance in the region. For now, however, the regime's technological aspirations remain unfulfilled, leaving the international community on edge, wary of the potential repercussions of North Korea's continued defiance and determination.

 

Credit: The Guardian 2024-05-29

 

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[SAFETY FIRST]

28 minutes ago, Social Media said:

 

North Korea’s latest attempt to launch a spy satellite ended in a dramatic mid-air explosion

Oh dear, heads will roll. 

 

[Danderman123]

I'm not familiar with this new rocket engine. Anyone have any leads on where it came from?

[Tug]

Time for Kim to cull the herd of rocket scientists….or beg Putin for stuff that works.to bad it didn’t fall on his noggin!

[Danderman123]

3 minutes ago, Tug said:

Time for Kim to cull the herd of rocket scientists….or beg Putin for stuff that works.to bad it didn’t fall on his noggin!

The engine that blew up probably came from Russia.

[Tug]

9 minutes ago, Danderman123 said:

The engine that blew up probably came from Russia.

Are they cloning Russian or Chinese hardware?

[Danderman123]

3 minutes ago, Tug said:

Are they cloning Russian or Chinese hardware?

Previously, it was Russian stuff. They got their hands on an RD-219 engine (dual thrust chamber), cut it in half, and then clustered them. But that engine was first designed in 1959 and is very inefficient.

 

Previously, they played with Scud engines which are available from many places, but those are small and inefficient (the Scud engine is based on an old German WWII design, which the US Vanguard rocket was also based on).

 

This new engine uses LOX/Kerosene, which is easier to use, and can be more efficient, if it doesn't explode.

 

 

[Chelseafan]

6 hours ago, Danderman123 said:

I'm not familiar with this new rocket engine. Anyone have any leads on where it came from?

 

The US probably...

[brianthainess]

Will PM Srettha send a message of sympathy ?

[Martin71]

8 hours ago, Danderman123 said:

I'm not familiar with this new rocket engine. Anyone have any leads on where it came from?

 

Chinese submarine...

[PETERTHEEATER]

11 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

Oh dear, heads will roll. 

 

Dear Leader, the Russian experts really controlled the launch......

[jollyhangmon]

2 hours ago, PETERTHEEATER said:

Dear Leader, the Russian experts really controlled the launch......

 

Whaaat? You let the russkies take control ...?!

 

Any which way, heads will roll, 555 ...

 

[Danderman123]

10 hours ago, Chelseafan said:

 

The US probably...

There's a lot of support required to develop a rocket engine, and just having plans or a single example is not really sufficient.

 

The classic case was the Russian NK-33 engine. A US company had 100 of them, obtained from the manufacturer. But the engines had been stored for 30 years in a shed in Russia, and the metal components degraded, without the manufacturer understanding the issue.

 

The original designers worked at another company, but they were not consulted in the engine purchase deal.

 

So, eventually, the engine decided to explode upon launch.

 

The Russians still use the engine, but only those acquired from the designer, not those stored by the manufacturer.

[still kicking]

17 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

Oh dear, heads will roll. 

 

Heads don't roll because of the ears.