[FPSPACE] NK launch: yesterday's bad radar track

[E.P. Grondine]

Hi folks - 

I wonder if this radar signature was caused by a meteorite? 

In any case, we have a problem as small natural impact events, and they will occur (at roughly 10 times the rate NASA is now claiming), will be indistinguishable from attacks, and may in the future lead to accidental launches if something is not done to prevent such mistakes. 

We came close to tragedy several years back while India and Pakistan were in tension and an impact occurred just outside of that region.

Aside from that, the UN meets this afternoon. 

(It is unfortunate that the investigation of Bill Richardson clouded his ability to serve, as he is one of the people most familiar with NK. I wonder how those investigations will finally turn out. )

Ed

Japan's Defense Ministry says misinformation about North Korea's planned rocket launch was issued when ground-based radar near Tokyo detected the trail of an unknown object over the Sea of Japan.

The Japanese government reported shortly after noon on Saturday that North Korea had apparently launched a rocket, but it said 5 minutes later that the information was mistaken.

The Defense Ministry says Air Self-Defense Force radar units are capable of detecting the trail of a projectile from North Korea immediately after its launch.

The information captured by the radar is on display at the ministry and the prime minister's office.

To prepare for the possible rocket launch, the ministry set up a network to collect intelligence from a US early warning satellite, Aegis-equipped destroyers of the Self-Defense Forces, and radar systems installed at 5 locations in Japan.

The ministry says it had not received any information from the US satellite, which should have detected a rocket launch faster than any other method.

Ministry officials are looking into why information from only one radar site led to the official announcement on the rocket launch.


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