 |
North Korean reconnaissance satellite 'Manrikyung-1' launched last year (photo = Yonhap News) |
[Alpha Biz= Reporter Kim Sangjin] North Korea acknowledged a launch failure on the night of the 27th, as a new rocket's first stage exploded mid-flight during the process of launching a military reconnaissance satellite.
According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), in an article titled "Accident Occurs During Military Reconnaissance Satellite Launch," the National Aerospace Development Administration stated that on the 27th, the reconnaissance satellite "Manrikyong-1-1" was loaded onto a new satellite-carrying rocket and launched from the West Sea Satellite Launch Site.
About an hour and thirty minutes after North Korea launched the reconnaissance satellite at 10:44 p.m. on the 27th, they quickly confirmed the failure at 12:22 a.m. on the 28th.
The report cited a deputy director of the National Aerospace Development Administration, stating that "the new satellite-carrying rocket failed to launch due to the explosion of the first stage during flight."
The KCNA further mentioned that the Emergency Satellite Launch Preparation Committee's on-site command post of experts concluded that the accident was due to the unreliable operation of the newly developed liquid oxygen + petroleum ignition engine (engine).
The National Aerospace Development Administration added that they would also review other potential issues that could have led to the failure.
On the previous day, North Korea fired one launch vehicle from Dongchang-ri, North Pyongan Province, where the West Sea Satellite Launch Site is located. The Joint Chiefs of Staff stated that immediately after the launch, numerous fragments of the North Korean launch vehicle were detected in the North's maritime territory.
AlphaBIZ Kim SangJin(letyou@alphabiz.co.kr)
