North Korea's 5th satellite attempt-7th Feb 2016

[xenomorph555]

Involved? Not without China's OK and that's not going to happen in the foreseeable future. Plus nuke miniaturization is not easy, nor is targeting.

We should be careful and not turn this political or this thread will be on a ban list. I understand it's difficult to discuss it without politics due to the nature.

Edited July 14, 2015 by xenomorph555

[Rath]

There may be some NK KSP players because one of NKs largest illegal businesses is smuggling people out so there may be some ex-NK people playing.

[Halo_003]

Interesting, do we have any specs at all on their rocket? I know the OP said 3.5x50m but I wasn't sure if that was the rocket size or the max capacity of the new launch site.

[regex]

Good lord, IRFNA/UDMH with Scud engines... It's basically a big Scud. And the third stage is LOX/RP-1 according to Wikipedia. Does it still use exhaust vanes for steering?

I'm impressed! Good luck to them on the next launch.

[xenomorph555]

Interesting, do we have any specs at all on their rocket? I know the OP said 3.5x50m but I wasn't sure if that was the rocket size or the max capacity of the new launch site.

3.5x50m is the max capability of the launch pad, their largest active rocket (Unha) is 2.4x32m. It is unknown which rocket they are using this year.

Good lord, IRFNA/UDMH with Scud engines... It's basically a big Scud. And the third stage is LOX/RP-1 according to Wikipedia. Does it still use exhaust vanes for steering?

I'm impressed! Good luck to them on the next launch.

1. No one actually knows the fuels, those you pointed out are speculation, the LOX/RP1 is very unlikely.

2. The engines are Nodong engines, effectively a large Scud engine but with 30t of thrust compared to the Scuds 10t.

3. Surprisingly the rocket actually uses vernier engines on all 3 stages, these were found at the stage impact zones.

EDIT: In regards to LOX/RP1, they are building a new propellent complex that possibly could hold cryogenics so that could come in the future.

[Kryten]

1. No one actually knows the fuels, those you pointed out are speculation, the LOX/RP1 is very unlikely.

The first stage at least is known to be kerosene and RFNA, ROK confirmed after testing debris from 2012 launch.

[xenomorph555]

The first stage at least is known to be kerosene and RFNA, ROK confirmed after testing debris from 2012 launch.

Not sure how they did it since it was full of sea water but if true then I would expect the 2nd stage to be the same with the 3rd being slightly more advanced like what Iran uses.

[regex]

The first stage at least is known to be kerosene and RFNA, ROK confirmed after testing debris from 2012 launch.

That's different, and that's also what I get for using Wikipedia as a spot reference. The exhast flame looks very odd to me.

[xenomorph555]

South Korean news has claimed that their intelligence has seen a large rocket being constructed at a rocket factory (probably Sanumdong since they build everything else there). However as is usual of SK intelligence reports they didn't specify what size it was or any other details.

[WinkAllKerb'']

rofl mao 1x1 this image not available in higher resolution ... *grumpf*

[xenomorph555]

One of the heads of NADA gave an interview a few weeks ago, he stated that the satellite they talked about a few months ago is now complete and flight ready. As well as that they have also claimed that they have built a 2nd satellite as well which is also flight ready.

He didn't state the 2nd satellite's purpose, however I predict that it's of the same type (observation) and be used as either a backup or used to form a micro-constellation.

Their names haven't been revealed to outsiders yet but I assume it will be K-4 and 5. This will flow with the 2012 development plan which outlined K-4/5 as observation sats.

Anyway with this news it's possible they may launch 2 rockets this year, the 2nd would probably be in December.

[xenomorph555]

--Sohae Update--

Construction at Sohae is finally complete (although that makes it sound like it took years when it only took 3 months ), so now they can move onto their launch campaign.

The spring-summer construction project has built several things:

-An extension of the launch pad complex

-A small rail station +elevator for the launch complex

-Railway to the launch complex

-New HAB (20m x 30m) on the launch complex

-New rocket transporter (20m x 30m) on the launch complex and rail system

-Groundwork for a future storage tank complex

-Rooftop added over the main site rail station

-Main site HAB roof repairs

-Maintenance

And with that we have Sohae Satellite Launching Station version 3.

Launch Complex;

(Clouds... D:< )

Rail Station;

As well as that tests have begun at the engine test stand, however it is unknown what they are testing. It's possibly an Unha engine acceptance test, new SLV engine test or a test of whatever they were testing last year.

We will have to see. Also updates for this will likely be becoming more and more frequent due to there only being 2 months till October.

[Shpaget]

2015 is turning out to be quite a year for space enthusiasts. So many interesting projects going on!

[xenomorph555]

Small update:

No signs of launch preparations yet but I wouldn't expect that till September 10th.

We now have a good view of the upgraded pad now:

Looks good, but I'm still wondering what that construction to the left is? Looking at photos of it's construction over a few months it looks like some king of bunker or maybe a new fuel tank site.

Also they appear to have tested a new very powerful engine:

They are also doing a massive construction/renovation project here, not sure why. My hypothesis;

-They are going to start testing entire 1st stages which will require much more fuel then current tanks provide.

-They are using new fuels (cryogenics or advanced hypregolics).

-They are building a new launch pad.

As for the new engine, i'm not certain but I have a doubt it's Unha or KN-8 related.

Oh and they also 'beautified' the control center :

[regex]

Can't overlook the shrubbery. The pool, on the other hand, is an obvious nod to KSP, only the North Koreans made it look good.

[Sylandro]

I'm excited for North Korea. 2015 definatley looks bright for space exploration!

[RainDreamer]

Let's just hope they won't rush their program an put some poor people on a barely tested rocket for the Glorious leader.

[r4pt0r]

Let's just hope they won't rush their program an put some poor people on a barely tested rocket for the Glorious leader.

The rockets they are trying to build are not for carrying people, lets not kid ourselves.

[RainDreamer]

The rockets they are trying to build are not for carrying people, lets not kid ourselves.

That is what I mean, they are not for people. So I hope they won't have the bright idea to just rush their program from unmanned to manned quickly after these launches and kill people in the process just so that they can boast their superiority or whatever.

[xenomorph555]

That is what I mean, they are not for people. So I hope they won't have the bright idea to just rush their program from unmanned to manned quickly after these launches and kill people in the process just so that they can boast their superiority or whatever.

They haven't announced any manned program, and since they tend to stretch out events like that (announcing year+ in advance then bragging till a year afterwards) I doubt they have that in the pipeline. Their big project of sorts is the small lunar orbiter their planning.

[RainDreamer]

That's a relief then.

[Kryten]

The rockets they are trying to build are not for carrying people, lets not kid ourselves.

With the size they seem to be aiming for with the larger gantry, suborbital flights a la redstone-mercury would be easy, and something like atlas-mercury wouldn't be far off.

If you're implying that they're producing gigantic pad-based rockets as missiles, then that's a bunch of nonsense; Unha is too unwieldily to be a practical weapon already. Despite what Fox might tell you, the DPRK is a nation with plenty of priorities that aren't military, and they do in fact have programmes that aren't designed to threaten The Land Of The Free And Home Of The Brave.

[xenomorph555]

-Update-

Well, here we are, 1 month away from the suspected launch date. No stages or activity have been spotted to indicate preparations.

Nothing to really report since last update, construction continues at the testing platform and their have been no new engines tested.

(That's a lot of construction materials, I do wonder what their doing, looks like their building hangers?)

They have also been testing their new transporter, we also have a good look at it.

(It's big 0_0)

I also found this graph that shows the pads 'evolution'.

Overall nothing much has happened yet, also considering turning this into a single megathread NK so there isn't to many threads flouting around.

[RainDreamer]

Are those satellite images? Some of the pics looks like it could have come from a spy drone. O_o

[xenomorph555]

Are those satellite images? Some of the pics looks like it could have come from a spy drone. O_o

The 1st and 3rd images are satellite, however I questioned the 2nd one, looks too angled.

Edited September 10, 2015 by xenomorph555