[FPSPACE] More on NK's satellite

[Peter Pesavento]

Apparently there is a (video?) camera on board this satellite.  I did not
see any evidence of one in the NHK lengthy news item about the NK launch
preparations that showed the mock-up model shown to the press.

 

But here is some more information that I did not know:

 

http://cns.miis.edu/stories/120410_dprk_rocket_launch_faq.htm

 


An excerpt:

3. What kind of satellite is North Korean trying to put into orbit?

 <http://www.kcna.co.jp/item/2012/201203/news16/20120316-20ee.html> KCNA
describes the Kwangmyongsong-3 as a "polar-orbiting earth observation
satellite." According to
<http://www.northkoreatech.org/2012/03/20/itu-confirms-dprk-satellite-launch
-plans/> data provided to the International Telecommunications Union, the
satellite will broadcast video back to the earth. A different
<http://www.kcna.co.jp/item/2012/201203/news28/20120328-40ee.html> KCNA
interview with a vice director of the Space Development Department of the
Korean Committee for Space Technology (KCST) claims that North Korea "will
assess the distribution of forests and natural resources of the DPRK, the
level of natural disaster, the crop estimate, etc. and collect data
necessary for weather forecast, natural resources prospecting and others,"
which is a normal use for earth observation satellites. The announced launch
trajectory, almost exactly due south, is what one would expect to place a
satellite in a polar orbit, in which a satellite passes above (or very
nearly above) both poles of the earth. However, the same KCNA interview also
suggests that the satellite will be in a "solar synchronous orbit at 500km
high altitude." The new solar synchronous description conflicts with the
notices to airmen (NOTAMS) that were previously filed,
<http://satobs.org/seesat_ref/misc/N.Korea_2012_launch.png> raising doubt
about the intended orbit of the satellite. 

 

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