Unha
 An Unha | |
| Function | Carrier rocket |
|---|---|
| Country of origin |  North Korea |
| Launch history | |
| Status | Active |
| Launch sites | Tonghae |
| Total launches | 1 |
| Failure(s) | 0 |
| First flight | 5 April 2009 |
The Unha or Eunha （Korean: 은하, 銀河, meaning "Silver River"[citation needed] or "Galaxy")[1] is a North Korean expendable carrier rocket, which experts say utilises the same delivery system as the Taepodong-2 long-range ballistic missile.[2] The designation Unha-2 has also been used to refer to the rocket, however it has not been confirmed whether this is part of the name, or a serial number for an individual rocket.
Launch operation
On 24 February 2009, North Korea announced that a Unha rocket would be used to launch the Kwangmyŏngsŏng-2 satellite.[3] According to the South Korean government, the launch took place on 5 April[4] from the Tonghae Satellite Launching Ground in Hwadae county.[5] Several countries, including South Korea, the U.S.A., and Japan, have voiced concern that the launch might violate United Nations Security Council Resolution 1718 which prohibits North Korea from testing ballistic missiles.[6] Russia also announced they urged North Korea to refrain from its planned rocket launch.[7] It was also reported that the launch may be a cover for a suborbital test of the Taepodong-2 missile.[5] If the launch is confirmed to have reached orbit, it will make North Korea the tenth country to conduct an orbital launch with an indigenously developed rocket.
The large first stage of the Unha-2 launcher is new and has not been successfully flight-tested. The only previous flight test was in July 2006. The first stage had failed approximately 40 seconds into the launch causing the launcher to crash a few kilometres from the launch site.[8]
See also
References
- ^ "FACTBOX: North Korea's Taepodong-2 long-range missile". Reuters. 2009-03-13. Retrieved 2009-03-30.
- ^ "North Korea positions rocket for April liftoff". AP. 2009-03-27. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
- ^ "朝鲜将发射"光明星二号"试验通讯卫星" (in Chinese). Xinhua. 2009-02-24. Retrieved 2009-03-14.
- ^ "North Korea fires long-range rocket: reports". The Sydney Morning Herald. 2009-04-05. Retrieved 2009-04-05.
- ^ a b "Kim tours rocket launch area". The Straits Times. 2009-02-26. Retrieved 2009-03-14.
- ^ "US Warns NK Not to Launch Rocket". The Korea Times. 2009-03-14. Retrieved 2009-03-14.
- ^ "Russia urges North Korea to refrain from rocket launch". Asiaone News. 2009-03-27. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
- ^ "Examining North Korea's satellite launch vehicle". The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. 2009-03-24. Retrieved 2009-03-26.
External links
- "An Analysis of North Korea’s Unha-2 Launch Vehicle," David Wright, March 20, 2009.
- "Nuclear Notebook: North Korea’s nuclear program, 2005", Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.
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