Images Show N. Korea’s Rocket Launch Preparation Well Underway
- Posted on April 2, 2012 at 5:00pm by
Liz Klimas
- Print »
- Email »
Mobile trailer spotted in North Korea near proposed rocket launch site. (Photo: 38 North)
SEOUL, South Korea (The Blaze/AP) — New satellite images of a North Korean rocket launch site show a mobile radar trailer, not previously seen, and rows of what appear to be empty fuel and oxidizer tanks, evidence of ramped-up preparation for what Washington calls a cover for a long-range missile test. Though experts don’t believe the country has the technology to mount a nuclear weapon on a missile, the launch has some worried of longer term implications.
An analysis of images provided to The Associated Press by the U.S.-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies shows Pyongyang “has undertaken more extensive preparations for its planned April rocket launch than previously understood.” The images were taken Wednesday.
A mobile radar trailer essential for any launch stands at the end of a new dirt road running from the entrance of the Tongchang-ri site and has a dish antenna that’s probably a radar tracking system, according to the institute’s analysis. Radar tracking during a launch gives engineers crucial real-time details on the performance of the rocket’s engines, guidance system and other details.
“These pictures are new and important evidence that the North’s preparations for its rocket launch are progressing according to schedule,” said Joel Wit, visiting fellow at the institute and editor of its website on North Korea, “38 North.” The images are from Digital Globe, a commercial satellite photography company.
North Korea says the launch, set for sometime between April 12 and 16, will fire a satellite into orbit to study the country’s crops and natural resources. It is also meant to honor one of the country’s most important days — the centennial of the April 15 birth of national founder Kim Il Sung.
Washington says North Korea uses such launches to test missile systems for nuclear weapons that could target the United States. While North Korea has conducted two nuclear tests, analysts don’t believe it has yet mastered the technology needed to shrink a nuclear weapon and mount it onto a missile.
Any launch would be the end of a Feb. 29 accord between North Korea and the United States that would ship U.S. food aid to the impoverished North in exchange for a moratorium on missile and nuclear tests, as well as a suspension of nuclear work at its main Yongbyon nuclear facility. The U.S. says plans to provide food to the North Korea are already on hold.
The launch would be the fourth of its kind since 1998, when Pyongyang sent a long-range rocket hurtling over Japan. The last rocket launch, in 2009, led to U.N. condemnation and the North walking away from six-nation nuclear disarmament talks; weeks later, it carried out its second nuclear test.
(Photo: 38 North)
The latest test could demonstrate if North Korea is closer to perfecting a multistage rocket that could hit the United States.
The new satellite images show what are likely empty fuel and oxidizer tanks in previously empty, fenced-in areas, the institute’s analysis says.
Comparison of storage areas from early March (left) to late March (right). (Photo: 38 North)
“The tanks were apparently dumped in these locations after their contents were transferred to buildings that will directly fuel the first stage of the Unha-3″ rocket, according to the analysis. “The large number of apparently empty tanks indicates that the transfer process may have been close to completion.”
38 North says a second, wider trailer with the dish attenna is for a radar-tracking system required for the launch phase of the Unha-3. It speculates the trailer will be moved before the launch. (Photo: 38 North)
Analysts fear a new launch could spur a chain of events that would mirror 2009 and send tensions soaring again on the Korean peninsula. A year after the last test, 50 South Koreans were killed in attacks blamed on North Korea.
The announcement of the latest launch came just two weeks after the Feb. 29 U.S.-North Korean nuclear-freeze-for-aid agreement, which had buoyed hopes for improved relations between the wartime enemies under new North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. He came to power after his father Kim Jong Il died of a heart attack in December.
The North’s new Tongchang-ri rocket launch site is about 35 miles (56 kilometers) from the Chinese border city of Dandong. North Korea has said that the southerly flight path from the site was chosen so debris wouldn’t hurt neighboring countries.
But there has been widespread fear over falling debris from the rocket. Japan’s defense minister has ordered missile units to intercept the rocket if it or its fragments threaten to hit Japan. Seoul has also warned it might shoot down any parts of the North Korean rocket heading for South Korean territory.
South Korean defense officials have said the main body of the three-stage rocket was transported to a building in Tongchang-ri.
Here’s what 38 North says to expect in terms of a timeline for the launch:
March 29-30: Transport and stacking of the first stage to launch pad
March 21-April 1: Transport and stacking of 2nd stage
April 2-3: 3rd stage stacked
April 4-5: Unha-3 checked and satellite loaded onto the rocket
April 6-7: Launch dress rehearsal
April 11: Rocket fueled and final check on rocket
April 12-16: Launch window
Comments (24)
Sign In To Post Comments! Sign In
Popular Stories
Does Misstated Marathon Claim Prove Paul Ryan Is Dishonest? (POLL) 694 Comments
Paper Details Obama Admin’s Alleged Secret Note Sent to Iran: If Israel Attacks, We Won’t Get Involved 518 Comments
Roseanne Barr: Most Billionaires ‘Violent Pedophiles’ & ‘Heartless’ Cocaine Addicts 353 Comments
‘Made Up Religion’: TV Historian Enrages Muslims, Receives Threats After Producing UK Documentary Questioning Islam’s Beginnings 343 Comments
This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 342 Comments
Faith
- This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 342 Comments
Pakistani Muslim Cleric Accused of Framing Disabled Christian Girl in Koran-Burning Case Read More- ‘Made Up Religion’: TV Historian Enrages Muslims, Receives Threats After Producing UK Documentary Questioning Islam’s Beginnings 343 Comments
Meet the Controversial German Imam Accused of Brutally Beating His Wife & Pushing Sharia Law Read More
‘Self-Proclaimed Messiah’ & Unification Church Leader the Rev. Sun Myung Moon Has Died — Here’s His Life Story Read More
Business
President Obama Issues Major ‘Green Energy’ Executive Order 261 Comments- Germany’s Upcoming Court Ruling Will be Huge for the EU Read More
Ford Looks to Beat Toyota for Best-Selling Car in 2012 With This Model 148 Comments
Bernanke & QE3: Here’s What You Need to Know Read More- ‘Extortion’: Why Did the Labor Department ‘Drop the Hammer’ on Oregon Farmers? 302 Comments
Technology
- This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 342 Comments
‘TaserDrone’: Hackers Weaponize Quadcopter With Actual ‘Shocking’ Technology Read More
Ever Heard of the Wild ‘Burning Man’ Festival in the Middle of the Nev. Desert? Here’s Your Primer Read More
Stanford Develops Technology ‘Better Than Steroids’ for Athlete Recovery Read More
Have You Pretended to Know What ‘the Cloud’ Is? You’re Not Alone Read More
Submitting your tip... please wait!
dmerwin
Posted on April 3, 2012 at 4:30pmYet another Obama diplomacy success story.
Report Post »Amarath01
Posted on April 3, 2012 at 5:20amOh nooooo.
And so , hey guys did you know we have ones liek this but bigger , underground, and super bigger… ohh nooo. poor north korea.
You know what i bet every year or so they see images of our **** and retarded headlines such as , “Images Show USA (phonically know as cowboyland) Rocket Launch Preparation Well Underway” I mean there is some dumb N Korean that would write such an awful and wildly misleading headline like that when nothing of the sort is going on.
And they would be technically correct right, we do have rockets/missiles ready.
I mean how dumb do you have to be to give such stories any time, and not see the hypocrisy in them.
Report Post »Oh well lets all vote for obama 2.0 , romeny here i come .. cannot wait for the 2nd Korean war.
lassiegirldawn
Posted on April 3, 2012 at 4:16amoh no, don’t hold them accountable, their missles can reach my home town of seattle, we have major defence here, guess I wll have to let my grandson practice more with his hollow point air gun.
Report Post »tomacz
Posted on April 3, 2012 at 1:03amwe announce ‘awright,you wantus gone??we’re outa here.. toodles!
before said announced departure of USFSK,,we leave 35 nukey missiles.
china, he’s your demented uncle,,goodluck with peace and harmony
Report Post »ENIGMA28724
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 10:18pmNo more food, no more oil, no more humanitarian supplies for North Korea. We need to judiciously use cruise missiles with conventional warheads to destroy the Demented Pygmy II’s toys before he gets any more dangerous ones, and perhaps a few more aimed at his palaces. This blackmail to us and our friends in the region by a 5th rate country should and can be stopped. I’m not convinced Obozo would act even if the little fool launched on our country. Might upset them, you see.
Report Post »robert
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 7:31pmNever has North Korea been regarded with the same intensity on nuclear arms as Iran has…and is…right now, yet North Korea has always been more of a threat to the US and world peace.
It looks like they’ve finally developed a rocket that can reach the US. That it is claimed they haven’t developed a nuclear warhead small enough to mount on the rocket is not much consolation since just a conventional missile attack on US cities could be catastrophic militarily, economically and socially.
Our missile defenses are good, but there would be literally dozens of missiles that could get through. They aren’t infallibe or 100% effective.
Isn’t this why they claim they want to bomb Iran?
They’re probably closer to a nuclear warhead than the so-called “experts” claim, also.
Report Post »Johnny Cocheroo
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 6:41pmThis is a perfect example why we cannot elect Ron Paul – but rather a president who isn’t afraid to do what is right even if it costs trillions of dollars.
Ron Paul will not confront these nations from getting nuclear bombs. Can you imagine what North Korea will do if they actually make some nuclear bombs? They will most likely sell them to Iran who will no doubt bomb Israel and us without warning. Within a year or so after manufacture – there will most likely be bombs going off in our stadiums & cities….kiss New York goodbye. Since there is no doubt that they will attack us, we must attack them first.
North Korea cannot be allowed to develop nuclear bombs!!
Report Post »Hrothgar
Posted on April 3, 2012 at 12:08amNorth Korea has nukes or so they have claimed. They have also have claimed to test a nuke that was equivalent to the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. I believe they even have a small stockpile of So far nobody did jack to put them in check, because it makes waves with China (Americas debt holder, labor force). North Korea is a grey area when it comes to policy. They get away with a lot because of their ties with China and since we are China’s best buddies in the global economy we have tread quite lightly.
Report Post »So, with that being said if you assume that you want a president to spend trillions to do the right thing, then who would it be? Consider, the last and current president, both said they were trying to “do the right thing” and what do we have to show for it? I’m not endorsing Paul here, but I’m just urging you to reevaluate your statement.
Unix
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 6:28pmAll I can picture is a scene from Dr Strangelove, but a N Korean version of Slim Pickens riding the ICBM yelling:
yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeehaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!!!!
The Bamster has failed again, and again, and again, and….but he will get his crisis, one way or the other!
Report Post »soybomb315
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 6:25pmuh oh. time to start the bombings.
i really need to get a 2nd passport
Report Post »ZAP
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 6:00pmoBUMMER.give me some free food.buhahahahaa
Report Post »Maxim Crux
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 5:42pmThey can shoot it down with HAARP before it even leaves their airspace.
Report Post »rafa2design
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 5:27pmThat’s a big runway for a bottle rocket.
Report Post »NOBALONEY
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 5:19pmNo amount of food or money from Obama and Clinton would stop them. That sums up the Obama administration’s foreign policy.
Report Post »chips1
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 5:32pmIt’s only a foreign policy to Americans. It’s a brotherhood policy to Obummer.
Report Post »shallowrider
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 5:50pm@chips1 they got to feed the workers : )
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 5:10pmKaiser Obama will use this as another excuse to force us into a useless, undeclared war for his own means and ends; he is desperate to become a wartime President so he will have his excuse for a national emergency and ultimate seizure of power.
Report Post »Baikonur
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 5:10pmI think that most of the Blazers, considering they were confused about where Hawaii was located (USA! USA!) geographically, would not be able to comment on the North Korean news with any competence.
Allora, bom! Bomb, Bomb! USA!
Report Post »AvengerK
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 5:16pmBAIKONUR…there you go again with a false premise. You don’t think at all…you’re a robotic lefty troll who does and says what his keepers tell him to say and do.
Report Post »Blackhawk1
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 5:22pmBaikonur
Didn’t you mean confused about where Hawaii is like Obama did? Remember when Obama gave a speech in Hawaii and said he was in Asia?
North Korea is just proving what Conservatives already know. Obama is so weak he will do nothing when Korea tests another ICBM or Nuke.
Report Post »Unix
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 6:30pmAre you serious BAIKONUR? It was your fearless leader and Marxist-In-Chief that said Hawaii was in Asia, muahahahhahahahaha, the amoeba lemming is a wee bit confused me thinks!
Report Post »TelepromoterNChief
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 7:28pmEveryone knows Hawaii is in the Atlantic Ocean. It’s where all the Obama lovers go to have relations with animals.
Report Post »AvengerK
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 5:05pmWhat? You mean Hillary and Barry‘s magical presence didn’t change the status quo there?
Report Post »TelepromoterNChief
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 7:29pmYoung Kim is a fat dictator. He needs to eat. If it means starting a war, so be it.
Report Post »