Neighbors angry as another North Korean 'satellite' launch attempt fails
- Reference: 1692855072
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2023/08/24/north_korea_satellite_launch_fail/
- Source link:
The launch occured out of Sohae Satellite Launching Ground in Cholsan County of North Phyongan Province around 04:00 on Thursday, local time.
"The flights of the first and second stages of the rocket were normal, but the launch failed due to an error in the emergency blasting system during the third-stage flight," [1]according to KCNA.
[2]
The National Aerospace Development Administration (NADA) said it would give further details on the abnormality at a later date. It also called the incident "not a big problem" in terms of system and engine reliability and said it would try a third launch in October.
[3]
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Japanese prime minister Fumio Kishida is [5]reportedly not happy about any of this, telling reporters the launch contravened UN resolutions.
Pyongyang had [6]warned Japan of its launch intentions earlier this week. Kishida's response referred to the object being hurtled into space as a "ballistic missile" and he instructed his government to "take all possible measures to ensure the safety and security of the Japanese people, including fully preparing for contingencies."
[7]
Those contingencies include maritime warnings that debris could rain down from the sky assuming North Korea's plan failed – an assumption with some historical merit. North Korea's [8]last attempt , a mere three months ago, ended up in the Yellow Sea.
[9]Beware cool-looking beta crypto-apps. They may be money-stealing fakes
[10]North Korea's neighbors issue warnings ahead of attempted 'satellite' launch
[11]North Korea may be itching to sell $40m of purloined Bitcoin
[12]North Korean satellite had no military utility for spying, says South Korea
Calling into question the spacecraft's purpose is also warranted. It [13]turned out that May 2023 "reconnaissance satellite" had no military utility for spying, according to South Korean analysis of the wreckage.
One likely [14]theory is that North Korea is testing ballistic missiles against international rules under the guise of building a space program – a narrative more likely to evoke support than weapons testing.
Seoul's chief nuclear negotiator [15]reportedly condemned the latest launch.
Last week, leaders from Japan, South Korea, and the US released a [16]statement promising the three countries would improve mechanisms "to exchange real-time missile warning data that will improve mutual detection and assessment of DPRK missile launches."
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The trio also expressed concern over North Korea's use of cryptocurrency money laundering to fund its rocketry and weapons programs.
On Tuesday, the FBI issued a [18]warning that North Korean-backed cyber gang Lazarus may try to liquidate a stash of stolen Bitcoin worth over $40 million. ®
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[1] http://kcna.kp/en/article/q/ced17c79666e3aad1195adac0a9945f0.kcmsf
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2ZOcqQ9YGgcmfJPiZb-ZGGgAAAwo&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44ZOcqQ9YGgcmfJPiZb-ZGGgAAAwo&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33ZOcqQ9YGgcmfJPiZb-ZGGgAAAwo&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://www.barrons.com/news/japan-pm-condemns-n-korea-spy-satellite-launch-afb055a1
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2023/08/22/north_korea_satellite_launch_warning/
[7] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44ZOcqQ9YGgcmfJPiZb-ZGGgAAAwo&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2023/05/31/north_korea_spy_satellite/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2023/08/14/fbi_mobile_beta_testing_apps/
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2023/08/22/north_korea_satellite_launch_warning/
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2023/08/23/fbi_dprk_cyber_crooks/
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2023/07/06/north_korean_satellite_had_no/
[13] https://www.theregister.com/2023/07/06/north_korean_satellite_had_no/
[14] https://www.theregister.com/2016/02/08/norks_uses_ballistic_missile_to_launch_silent_satellite/
[15] https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20230824002900325
[16] https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3498219/statement-from-secretary-of-defense-lloyd-j-austin-iii-on-united-states-trilate/
[17] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33ZOcqQ9YGgcmfJPiZb-ZGGgAAAwo&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[18] https://www.theregister.com/2023/08/23/fbi_dprk_cyber_crooks/
[19] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
So it blew up ?
The article is not very clear on the end result. I'm guessing rapid unscheduled disassembly.
And where did the remains fall down ? The Yellow Sea ?
And are we sure that there was no flying laser in the vicinity ? That unexpected 3rd-stage snafu could very well have been the result of a bit of coherent light interference with the 3rd stage envelope, no ?
Re: So it blew up ?
Lasers capable of bringing down a missile are very difficult to engineer, requiring a combination of extremely well controlled beam direction, pattern, coherence and focus, and at the same time not melting any vital part of itself.
We'll know when someone has fielded a laser capable of this, because it's such a big technical achievement.
Re: So it blew up ?
The floating shark corpses would be a give away as well.
"It turned out that May 2023 "reconnaissance satellite" had no military utility for spying"
That was a very carefully worded conclusion. From what I recall it was carrying a satellite, which contained optical equipment, but would be considered crap by modern military standards and requirements outside of North Korea.
It seems a lot of effort to go to in providing plausible deniability should a ballistic missile test fail and it fell into enemy hands.
I'm not convinced by South Korean claims that it was merely a ballistic missile test, that the payload proves it was just that. But it's hard to blame them for taking the opportunity to demonise North Korea given they, and others, do see them as an existential threat.
"the launch contravened UN resolutions"
UN resolutions have no real power, so why do people keep going on about them?
Re: "the launch contravened UN resolutions"
I assume because the UN is meant to be a neutral arbiter. Whether or not it actually is neutral seems debatable.
Re: "the launch contravened UN resolutions"
North Korea is at war with the United Nations, so definitely not neutral.
Quelle surprise
Did it hit fail exactly where they aimed predicted?