North Korea – Parabolic Arc

North Korea Fires 7 Ballistic Missiles, Defying U.N. Ban

July 4, 2009 News, North Korea 1

Defying U.S., North Korea Fires Barrage of Missiles
The New York Times

North Korea fired a barrage of seven ballistic missiles into the sea between the Communist state and Japan on Saturday in a move that flouted a United Nations Security Council resolution and sent a message of defiance to the United States on its Independence Day holiday.

After a nuclear test by North Korea on May 25, the Security Council adopted a resolution that, among other things, barred the country from testing ballistic missiles. North Korea sharpened its standoff with Washington on Saturday by following through on part of its earlier warnings that it would respond to the resolution and sanctions with more tests of its ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons.

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North Korea Threatens Nuclear Attack on U.S. as Destroyer Shadows Freighter

June 25, 2009 News, North Korea 0

NKorea vows nuke attack if provoked by US
Associated Press

Punching their fists into the air and shouting “Let’s crush them!” some 100,000 North Koreans packed Pyongyang’s main square Thursday for an anti-U.S. rally as the communist regime promised a “fire shower of nuclear retaliation” for any American-led attack.

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Rocket Race Heats Up on Korean Peninsula

June 15, 2009 News, North Korea, South Korea 0

North Korea gambles as South readies own rocket
Spaceflight Now.com

The North Koreans may greet this week’s meeting with a barrage of short and long range ballistic missile tests to make at least a virtual appearance at the same White House gathering.

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North Korean Rocket More Sophisticated, Flew Further Than Thought

April 11, 2009 North Korea 0

North Korean rocket flew further than earlier thought
Spaceflight Now

New details emerging from the analysis of data from North Korea’s April 5 Taepo-Dong-2 test indicate the vehicle flew successfully several hundred miles further than previously believed and used more advanced steering than has been demonstrated by the North Korean’s before.

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South Korea Lagging Behind North in Rocketry

April 7, 2009 North Korea, South Korea 0

Seoul lags N.K. in rocket technology
The Korea Herald

South Korea’s Korea Space Launch Vehicle-1, which is slated to carry an experimental satellite into orbit in late July, is expected to have a much shorter range of 2,750 kilometers. The KSLV-1 rocket is being jointly developed by Russia’s Khrunichev State Space Science and Production Center and the Korea Aerospace Research Institute.

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ASATs and Ballistic Missile Technology

April 6, 2009 North Korea, Space debris 0

The Space Review has a couple of stories about the military uses of space:

How should we secure our space-based assets as a nation?
The White House has proposed negotiating a ban on space weapons, even though there is uncertainty about exactly what would be considered such a device. Christopher Stone argues that other measures can be taken to better protect the safety and security of space assets.

North Korea proves the point: ICBMs are proliferating
This weekendâ€™s launch of a North Korean rocket was supposedly intended to put a satellite into orbit, but many observers considered it a test of a long-range missile. Taylor Dinerman opines on the implications of this launch.

North Korean Claims Success in Rocket Launch; U.S. Says Satellite Fell into Pacific

April 5, 2009 North Korea 0

North Korea launches rocket, sparks international criticism
CNN

North Korea followed through Sunday on its publicly-stated intention to launch to a long-range rocket, defying a series of warnings from the international community and setting off a firestorm of criticism in the process.
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North Korea Rocket Rises – As Does the Rhetoric

March 31, 2009 News, North Korea, South Korea 3

Tensions are ratcheting up around the Sea of Japan as North Korea prepares for a rocket launch that could come as early as Saturday. A brief summary from an Associated Press story:

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Russia Urges North Korea Against Launch

March 27, 2009 North Korea 0

Russia urges N. Korea against rocket launch plans
Novosti

A deputy Russian foreign minister has joined international criticism of North Korea’s planned launch of a rocket, cautioning the reclusive-communist country on Friday against increasing tensions in the region.

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North Korea Loads Rocket onto Launch Pad for April Test

March 26, 2009March 26, 2009 North Korea 0

US: North Korea loading rocket on launch pad
Associated Press

North Korea is loading a Taepodong rocket on its east coast launch pad in anticipation of the launch of a communications satellite early next month, U.S. officials say. U.S. counterproliferation and intelligence officials have confirmed Japanese news reports of the expected launch between April 4 and 8.

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South Korea, Japan Demand N. Korea Cancel Missile Launch

March 13, 2009March 13, 2009 Japan, North Korea, South Korea 0

The stakes are getting higher as North Korea proceeds with its plan to launch a rocket during April 4-8. South Korea and its allies say this is a test of a long-range missile; North Korea claims it is a satellite launch.

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North Korean Launch Set for Early April

March 12, 2009 North Korea 0

NKorea to launch satellite in early April: IMO
AFP

North Korea has announced it will launch a satellite early next month, the International Maritime Organisation said Thursday, as Washington and Seoul told Pyongyang to scrap what they see as a disguised missile test and the UN expressed concern.

Pyongyang has advised the IMO of the launch at some time between April 4-8, IMO spokesman Lee Adamson told AFP from London.

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Is North Korea Trying to One-Up Its Southern Neighbor on Rocket Tech?

March 12, 2009March 12, 2009 North Korea, South Korea 0

NKorea launch may actually put satellite in space
Associated Press

U.S. intelligence officials say a successful satellite launch would give North Korea a “three for one.” Pyongyang would have its first satellite; it would demonstrate the prowess of its long-range missile program to Japan and the United States; and it would shame its rival South Korea, which is still months away from launching its own first satellite.

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U.S. Space Policy, Chinese Ambitions and North Korea’s Missile

March 9, 2009March 9, 2009 China, NASA, North Korea 0

Over that The Space Review this week, there are a number of interesting analyzes:

Jeff Foust looks at America’s lurching, poorly implemented space policy (or policies);
Dwayne Day says that Western media are over-hyping Chinese space activities;
As North Korea prepares to test fire a missile, Brian Weeden examines the difference between a satellite launcher and a long-range missile;
Wayne Eleazer looks at how to diagnose problems in a very complicated rocket;
Taylor Dinerman reviews Neil deGrasse Tyson’s new book, The Pluto Files, in which the famous astronomer discusses how he helped get that distant world demoted from planetary status.