North Korean Satellite launch

There are multiple thread, so posting the space launcher related stuff here… if possible merge the two.

Good input regarding the latest missile launch and the new ingeniously designed engine that Koreans used for this missile test.

Even though they used this brand new engine for a new missile test of historic significance (not sure if this is what they meant when they tested those engine), I don’t think for a strategic missile system, they will stick to it. Its going to be replaced by a solid motor if we go by their recent track record. But this new liquid fueled engine is going to be the base for their current and planned future space launchers.

North Korea Tests High-Thrust Rocket Engine of ‘Historic Significance’
http://thediplomat.com/2017/03/north-korea-tests-high-thrust-rocket-engine-of-historic-significance/

Here is a good link for North Korean space launchers.
Unha-3
http://www.b14643.de/Spacerockets_1/Rest_World/Unha-3/Description/Frame.htm
Unha-9
http://www.b14643.de/Spacerockets_1/Rest_World/Unha-9/Description/Frame.htm
Unha-X
http://www.b14643.de/Spacerockets_1/Rest_World/Unha-X/Description/Frame.htm

^^^ the parade items could be mock-ups, but I guess it has to be based on the real dimensions of the new missile they already have inducted or have planned for induction.
Or should we believe that the North Koreans invested in those capable 16×16 TEL just to carry mockups for parade?

So mock-ups they are. Wooden I assume?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-17867174

some more good shots from the unexpected entry given to the media

From the media tour it was apparent the importance of the Satellite control center. Unlike the other control room, the media guys were not let loose to the “well” of the control center and they only watched it from the gallery.

I find it little bit strange that the layout in North Korean Satellite Control Center is very similar to the Russian Space center down to the top part where the welcome message can be seen. Was it just an inspiration?

is it an ICBM?

There seems to be a growing consensus among ‘watchers’ of North Korea’s missile programmes that these new missiles are only mockups. US DefSec Panetta told the House Armed Services Committee on 19 April that better intelligence was needed to determine “what’s real and what’s not real here”.

The below data is from the launch of India’s Agni-5 ICBM
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article3330921.ece?homepage=true

It was a flawless flight and the three stages jettisoned on time. The third stage fired the re-entry vehicle into the atmosphere at perfect angle at an altitude of 100 kms. The pay load withstood the searing temperatures of around 3000 degree Celsius.

When the North Korean rocket was launched and when it broke up, it had reached an altitude of 120Km.

Can anyone compare the two and give some details?
Agni-5 is 3-stage solid fueled ICBM, where as the Unha-3 rocket is 3-stage liquid fueled satellite launcher.

Any estimate data on how much 1st stage burn etc?

Nope, you’ve ignored the reason for the launch. The paint job on the rocket is unimportant. The date of the launch attempt was very important indeed. It was the 100th birthday of the (dead for 18 years, but still in office) first & eternal president of North Korea, the God-King whose grandson is now the semi-divine ruler, anointed by heaven where his grandfather rules supreme, blessing His beloved people with fine weather when they do not offend Him or stray off His true path of Juche.

Have you actually paid any attention to what goes on in North Korea? I remember when its government paid for multi-page advertisements in the main British newspapers to celebrate Kim Il-Sung’s birthday. They were totally bonkers. They were insane – but apparently, deadly serious. They not only claimed that he was infallible, but stated that the weather & wildlife had celebrated his birth, that the sun broke through clouds to shine on his birthplace to mark the time he was born, etc.

The rocket launch was completely, totally, & utterly about appearances. It was saying (mostly to the poor bloody North Koreans who paid for it) “Look at what we can do!”, & an act of worship of their founding deity.

No I did not ignore. But to say that they made the decision to launch or test the rocket only due to the 100th birth anniversary is wrong. The date of launch may have been made to coincide with the week of celebration….but I’m sure they planned and started preparing for this launch since the last flight of the rocket in 2009. After the current launch, we heard that they will be preparing another launch of this rocket in 2years.

I don’t know about North Korean advertisement in British newspapers as I don’t live there and no one reported about it in the forum.

But I don’t buy the theory that the launch was for appearance. Their first priority definitely was (and has to be) to test their technology and create a base for the next level. The next priority could have been for boosting the image or anything like that. If it was just for appearance, they first of all would have resisted any opening of the event to foreign media in the face of strong Japanese and South Korean propaganda against the launch. If it was purely for appearance, they would could have avoided the media and promoted wrong story to their people that the rocket launch was successful etc. But that is not what happened. They reported about the failure without much fanfare and in silence. And that is natural because it is embarrassing when an event with so much expectation fails in its mission.
But that happens every where, we in India have been witnessing many rocket launches through our national broadcaster and the last flight of the GSLV was the most embarrassing for me of all the launches that I have watched. It is not because the rocket could not succeed in its mission (they will manage it next time), but because, for the first time, the telecast ended abruptly without the routine as if someone unplugged the telecast. I’ve never seen such a reaction during earlier failures like the one I saw last time when GSLV failed.

No, they said they’d shoot it down if it looked as if it might land in Japan. Not the same thing.

well that is not exactly how the Japs & yanks behaved. They reached to that level of “consideration” when they realized that the outright threat of shooting it down wont work and will only complicate matter for the worse. That is what i remember from the news telecasts..

Some comparisons chart for the North Korean missiles….

The new missile size has to be between 15-20m and it has to be in the 17m range as Distiller pointed out. What could be the range – 6,000+ km?

Below is a good shot of the new missile from above…

From the looks, Agni-5 and new DPRK missile is likely to be of same length.
It would be good for India if we can acquire that TEL from the Chinese for a discounted price as most Indian internet warriors dislike Russia for asking too much price. :p

On a serious note the new 16×16 TEL carrier looks perfect size for India’s Agni-5 ICBM. This is the kind of carrier that India need. Even if there is no canister, it will do. But without a proper TEL is strictly no. Its a must have.

Nasa need to learn too…man that bin next to the brown jacket is almost spilling over..!!:eek:
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_eoa7aTS35vI/TJfdzVbqohI/AAAAAAAAAlk/rBDMGa3Vwm0/s1600/Mission_control_centerShuttle.jpg
http://www.firstpost.com/topic/organization/indian-space-research-organisation-indian-scientists-watch-displays-as-they-sit-in-th-image-0e5G3ApfoPaNs-91727-1.html

:rolleyes:

the ability of some people at self depreciation never ceases to amaze me…

ok maybe i was wrong in writing….let me make it clear little more.
By the clean stuff I mean not the table and contents on it or the crowded room. The screen shot I made came up with the engineers and their table also and may have conveyed different meaning. I meant the large display, the arrangement of 1 + 4 display…. it looks very neat and good. That is what I was mentioning. You might have seen many rocket launches in India and seen how the launch station of ISRO looks like.

ISRO’s centre still have those small screens compared to the well laid out large displays that we get to see in the Korean control centre…

btw, is it a rule that we should not learn or see the positive things from those who are lower to us in terms of capablity?? :rolleyes:

Mobile 3-stage liquid? Because of the rail? Or because the vehicle’s tires are not flattened by the weight?

would it not be better to look underneath the vehicle than the tires to see if the vehicle is loaded or not…

some more good photos that were not posted.

Ah yes, now that you mention it – the white rings. Better visible on that other photo.

Mobile 3-stage liquid? Because of the rail? Or because the vehicle’s tires are not flattened by the weight?
But would liquid move the game forward for NKorea, even if road mobile?

Maybe a little shorter? That WS25/2600 interpretation is more like 17 meter I think.
What do you think about that unusually long first stage? Especially relative to the shortish second stage? Is that first stage liquid? And the second solid?

Those dimensions I cited were a quick estimation – I just wanted to indicate the approximate size that candidate designs would have to match.

I do not think that there is a long first stage – early indications are that this is a three-stage liquid-propellant design, and the first two stages are the same diameter.

…

Before we all get carried away with alternative hypotheses, it is worth remembering that the new missile is about 18 m long and has a first-stage diameter of about 1.5 m.

Maybe a little shorter? That WS25/2600 interpretation is more like 17 meter I think.
What do you think about that unusually long first stage? Especially relative to the shortish second stage? Is that first stage liquid? And the second solid? Would that make any sense? Both Iran and Pakistan now have solid first stages but they are shorter. That’s why I mentioned Shaheen.
Think that missile on the picture is roughly in the same range/throw weight class as the old French S3.

Before we all get carried away with alternative hypotheses, it is worth remembering that the new missile is about 18 m long and has a first-stage diameter of about 1.5 m.

Pakistan selling Shaheen II blueprints to NKorea? :confused: Thats odd! Usually NK is one selling missile blueprints, and it looks nothing like a Shaheen II.

Pakistan selling Shaheen II blueprints to NKorea?
What is fake and what is real?
No ICBM.

Both seems to be lot different

Pakistan selling Shaheen II blueprints to NKorea?
What is fake and what is real?
No ICBM.

is it an ICBM? :confused:

Well, that is what everyone wants to know. Which is why I am not going to have much spare time for a bit…