North Korea Says Its Attempt To Put Another Spy Satellite Into Orbit Has Failed (yahoo.com) 20
A North Korean rocket carrying its second spy satellite exploded midair on Monday, state media reported, after its neighbors strongly rebuked its planned launch. From a report: The North's official Korean Central News Agency said it launched a spy satellite aboard a new rocket at its main northwestern space center. But KCNA said the rocket blew up during a first-stage flight soon after liftoff due to a suspected engine problem. Earlier Monday, North Korea had notified Japan's coast guard about its plans to launch "a satellite rocket," with a warning to exercise caution in the waters between the Korean Peninsula and China and east of the main Philippine island of Luzon during a launch window from Monday through June 3.
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff later said it detected a launch trajectory believed to be of a spy satellite fired from the North's main space center at 10:44 p.m. on Monday. Four minutes later, many fragments were spotted in the waters, it said. Japanese Prime Minister's Office earlier issued a missile alert for the island of Okinawa following North Korea's launch. The alert was lifted soon after. Japan's NHK public television earlier reported that an image captured by a camera in northeastern China showed an orange light in the sky and then an apparent explosion a moment later.
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff later said it detected a launch trajectory believed to be of a spy satellite fired from the North's main space center at 10:44 p.m. on Monday. Four minutes later, many fragments were spotted in the waters, it said. Japanese Prime Minister's Office earlier issued a missile alert for the island of Okinawa following North Korea's launch. The alert was lifted soon after. Japan's NHK public television earlier reported that an image captured by a camera in northeastern China showed an orange light in the sky and then an apparent explosion a moment later.
Shows the regime isn't insane (Score:3)
I guess when you have nukes and fire what might look like an ICBM inviting a counter-strike, you suddenly learn not to rattle sabres and behave cooperatively.
It's nice to know there is some sanity there.
Re:Shows the regime isn't insane (Score:4, Funny)
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I don't know why they don't they get their new buddies in Russia to launch their sats
Kim Jong-un is at it again! (Score:5, Funny)
NEWS BULLETIN
North Korean 'Flaccid Chode' Program: Another Flop, Literally
By: Seamus O'Rocket
In yet another testament to the world's lowest bar for rocket science, North Korea's recent attempt to launch a spy satellite has ended in a spectacularly flaccid failure, further solidifying the aptness of their program's name, the 'Flaccid Chode' program.
The event, which could be likened to a wet firecracker on a rainy Fourth of July, saw the supposedly mighty missile wheeze and falter like an asthmatic hamster on a wheel. The North Korean space program, once feared and revered, has now been reduced to a pitiful, flaccid chode of a program, that can't seem to get it up, let alone maintain the height.
"Seems Kim Jong-un's rocket is as potent as his leadership," quipped an international observer, who wished to remain anonymous for fear of being the next target of the dictator's notoriously touchy regime. "If he spent half as much time on his fucking rocket science as he does on his lunch buffet, they might have a shot."
This latest cock-up is just another notch in the bedpost of failures for the 'Flaccid Chode' program, which has now become the butt of all jokes in international space agencies.
"Every time North Korea announces a launch, it's like Christmas for us," admitted a NASA scientist, barely containing his laughter. "It's like watching a comedy of errors, but with more explosions and less talent. We break out the popcorn with extra butter."
As the dust settles and the debris is cleared, it is crystal clear that North Korea's space program is about as successful as Kim Jong-un's attempts at diplomacy. But let's not lose hope. Maybe one day, the 'Flaccid Chode' program will finally get it up and keep it up. Until then, we'll just sit back and enjoy the mishaps.
Re: (Score:1)
A bow is far more subservient.
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Just put them both it in the library of Presidents overdoing it a bit in other cultures. Not the first, not the last.
To Bow or Not to Bow? [foreignpolicy.com]
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Seems like your mommy forgot to turn your internet off before she took your 'uncle' to her bedroom for a 'talk' again.
The launch vehichle (Score:4, Interesting)
Curious as to what they actually use to get to orbit, not a lot of details but 3 stages and using glycolic fuels. Not exactly the type of stuff I want to working around in the I am sure the very "safety first" locale.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... [wikipedia.org]
Re:The launch vehichle (Score:4, Interesting)
It may be deliberate, to prevent other nations recovering debris for analysis. The goal is to have failed launches self destruct into parts too small to be of much use for intel, or be too dangerous to recover.
It's actually quite worrying and impressive how far NK technology has come. They have ICBMs that can hit almost anywhere on the planet, and some are thought to have MIRV capability (multiple independent re-entry vehicle, basically several nuclear warheads on a single ICBM that can be targeted independently). They have submarine launched ballistic missiles too, although the subs are diesel powered so not on the level of European and US deterrents because they are easier to track than nuclear powered ones, and can't stay submerged for extended periods.
A lot of this seems to be home-grown too. While older rockets were based off imported models, they seem to have replaced most of that technology with their own. That suggests that successive leaders have been smart enough to be tolerant of failures and see working towards success as a long term goal.
It's laughable, but not.. (Score:1)
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State Media in North Korea has changed over the last ten years, almost entirely for the better, but North Korea as a whole has become more insular due to the relationship with China getting worse. Xi gives zero fucks about North Korea in general and it shows.
Town slingshot must've failed (Score:2)
I think the rubber band broke. They still celebrated the execution of the engineer and builder, followed by executing the executor as he know who ordered it...
Isn't that the same thing they'd say (Score:2)
Isn't that the same thing they'd say if they successfully put a spy satellite into orbit?
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Anything put in orbit is easily visible/trackable.
Which is exactly... (Score:2)
...what they would say about a successful spy satellite launch.