Launch News North Korea successfully shoot satellite into space! December 12, 2012

[MaverickSawyer]

Yikes! looks like the missile interceptor programs are about to go into high gear...

---------- Post added at 10:25 ---------- Previous post was at 10:20 ----------

Actually, they probably don't yet have a nuke small enough to be be lobbed "anywhere" by their existing launcher. In today's environment, posing a nuclear attack threat takes some more mature technology than 60 years ago. Didn't we watch this launch preparation in almost real time, studying close-up orbital pictures of the pad and the rocket, available to the whole world? How difficult that would be for US navy, to turn the thing into rubble if a slightest sign of a real threat existed?

Have you seen the latest performance on the SM-3 Block II missiles? If they wanted to, they could have swatted it down partway through the third stage burn!
Another option: how much microwave radar power do you think we could put on that target? The Japanese and South Koreans both have at least 3 Aegis-equipped ships. That should be enough to seriously degrade the electronics on any rocket that they should launch.

 

[Ghostrider]

Another option: how much microwave radar power do you think we could put on that target? The Japanese and South Koreans both have at least 3 Aegis-equipped ships. That should be enough to seriously degrade the electronics on any rocket that they should launch.

You want to topple it?

It can be done... For a price.:thumbup:

 

[Urwumpe]

Another option: how much microwave radar power do you think we could put on that target? The Japanese and South Koreans both have at least 3 Aegis-equipped ships. That should be enough to seriously degrade the electronics on any rocket that they should launch.

No, they should not. Unless you have the radars at point blank range, the rocket would be unaffected. Actually its old military technology, that is made almost immune to strong electromagnetic waves.

The AN/SPY-1 has just 6 MW of power output. if you assume the rocket to be just 100 km away from all three radars at the same time, every square meter of rocket would get only 6 Watt of radiation (Assuming a 30 dB gain of the antenna).

 

[orb]

NBC News: North Korean satellite 'tumbling out of control,' US officials say

SPACE.com: North Korean Satellite Out of Control in Orbit: Reports:

The satellite launched by North Korea on Wednesday (Dec. 12) is "tumbling out of control," according to U.S. officials, NBC News reported.

The vehicle is in an uncontrolled orbit around Earth, and officials aren't sure what the spacecraft's purpose and capabilities are, NBC News reported.

{...}

 

[statickid]

wait! you have to control the spacecraft after it gets into orbit? whaaaaaa????

here is my favorite space news quote at this moment:

The officials said that it is indeed some kind of space vehicle, but they still haven’t been able to determine exactly what the satellite is supposed to do.

 

[Loru]

Probably killrot button didn't work

but seriuously even with tumbling satelite they've achieved orbit

 

[Codz]

but seriuously even with tumbling satelite they've achieved orbit

Congratulations for them...:dry:

 

[mojoey]

Where were the origins of the Soviet and American spaceflight programs? Where are the origins of North Korea's?

In the ground...dead...for quite some time.

RIP Robert Goddard.

 

[Urwumpe]

Probably killrot button didn't work

but seriuously even with tumbling satelite they've achieved orbit

Congratulations, you have produced three more items of space debris with your first orbital launch. Senpai will be pleased.

 

[SiberianTiger]

Enjoy a propaganda developed to an art...

 

[MattBaker]

Well, what they call tumbling is probably just a missing RCS, huh?

It's probably a simple brick, maybe with a transmitter. The first Soviet and the first American satellites were also not more than this? But we're superior to them...

What really makes me sad is this CNN report, but I guess rocket launches are a lot more awesome than dinner.

 

[SiberianTiger]

But that launched sat is supposed to study the North Polar Cap... Not sure, however, how'd they do that during Northern winter, without any platform stabilization and why do they need these data at all.

 

[orb]

 

[Spacethingy]

Well, what they call tumbling is probably just a missing RCS, huh?

It's probably a simple brick, maybe with a transmitter. The first Soviet and the first American satellites were also not more than this? But we're superior to them...

What really makes me sad is this CNN report, but I guess rocket launches are a lot more awesome than dinner.

1 billion out of a 40 billion economy?! Wow. Out of interest, what kind comparison is that to NASA's budget in the 60's?

 

[csanders]

1 billion out of a 40 billion economy?! Wow. Out of interest, what kind comparison is that to NASA's budget in the 60's?

Looks like NASA's budget peeked (as a percentage) in '66 at about $6 billion when the GDP was about $750 billion.

[ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budget_of_NASA"]Budget of NASA - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame]
http://research.stlouisfed.org/fredgraph.png?g=dLc

 

[Pipcard]

1 billion out of a 40 billion economy?! Wow. Out of interest, what kind comparison is that to NASA's budget in the 60's?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budget_of_NASA
The highest percentage was 4.41% in 1966.

1/40 = 2.5%, but a lot of North Koreans are starving. I agree that NK should've focused on that first before launching their rocket. Rocket launches are more awesome than dinner, but dinner is vital for living...

 

[csanders]

The highest percentage was 4.41% in 1966.

That would be 4.4% of the government's budget. It's less than 1% of the GDP.

 

[Mader Levap]

Not really. This is not Austin Powers here. Nobody talking to the UN for one million dollar.

Of course this kind of blackmailing is not done like in sensational movies.

Of course, if you claim that they launched it for giggles... oh wait, you are one that laugh.

 

[Frogisis]

Now that they've discovered that "unicorn lair" under Pyongyang they've probably got their own Laika all lined up, too.

 

[Urwumpe]

Of course this kind of blackmailing is not done like in sensational movies.

Of course, if you claim that they launched it for giggles... oh wait, you are one that laugh.

Maybe they launch it for internal propaganda proposes... did you notice that North Korea launched its satellite before South Korea?

:lol:

Also, you are of course aware that a single launch of a single rocket is no threat. Did you notice the large complex launch infrastructure, that we had been better informed about the activities there than many North Koreans? Did you notice that this is just one launch complex?

Even if the North Koreans plan to have an ICBM as option for political negotiations, they would need to launch more of it as training. You can't rely on the only shot you have to go well, if you don't practice it with all effort.