Disappeared North Korean Space Launch Vehicle... 'Possibility of Failure' (Comprehensive)

North Korea's Predicted Drop Point Not Reached, Disappears from Radar

A space launch vehicle launched by North Korea reportedly disappeared from radar before reaching the predicted fall zone. There is also a possibility that the launch process as a whole failed, such as the vehicle exploding mid-air or crashing into the sea.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 31st, the Joint Chiefs of Staff stated, "At around 6:29 a.m., a space launch vehicle claimed by North Korea was launched southward from the Dongchang-ri area in North Pyongan Province, and we are analyzing detailed specifications such as the type of vehicle and flight distance."

The military is known to have detected the launch using Aegis ships in the East and West Seas and ground-based ballistic missile surveillance radar Green Pine. According to the detection results, one launch vehicle passed over the distant sea west of Baengnyeongdo. The military is conducting a detailed analysis to determine whether it was launched from the existing Dongchang-ri launch pad or the second launch pad currently under construction.

Earlier, North Korea announced that it would launch a satellite between 0:00 on the 31st of this month and 0:00 on the 11th of next month. It designated the first-stage rocket fall zone as "far west in the West Sea near Gunsan, Jeonbuk," the fairing (satellite cover) fall zone as "far west in the sea near Jeju Island," and the second-stage rocket fall zone as "east of Luzon Island, Philippines."

This is the first time in seven years since February 7, 2016, when North Korea launched the 'Kwangmyongsong' that it has fired a launch vehicle claimed to carry a satellite. If the vehicle launched on this day is confirmed to be a "satellite-carrying" launch vehicle, it will be the sixth such claim by North Korea.

Meanwhile, Seoul City sent a notification on the same day stating, "At 6:32 a.m. today, a warning alert was issued for the Seoul area. Citizens are advised to prepare for evacuation, and priority should be given to evacuating children and the elderly." However, about 30 minutes later, a message sent again by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety corrected this, stating, "The warning alert issued by Seoul City was a false alarm."

In response, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said that the North Korean launch vehicle was flying over the West Sea and was unrelated to the metropolitan area. The Joint Chiefs stated, "Our military has heightened its alert posture and is maintaining full readiness while closely cooperating with the United States."