North Korea Launches Third Reconnaissance Satellite... Relaunch After 89 Days (Comprehensive)

Surprise Launch Ahead of Scheduled Time

North Korea carried out the third launch of a military reconnaissance satellite late at night on the 21st. It was 89 days after the failed re-launch on August 24.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff stated that "Our military detected one 'North Korean claimed military reconnaissance satellite' launched by North Korea around 10:43 PM tonight from the Dongchang-ri area in North Pyongan Province, heading southward and passing over international waters west of Baengnyeongdo and Ieodo."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The North Korean launch vehicle consisted of first, second, and third stage propulsion units, with the ‘Manlilkyung-1’?which North Korea claims is a military reconnaissance satellite?mounted on top of the third stage. The expected debris fall locations announced by North Korea are two spots in the Yellow Sea southwest of North Korea and one spot in the Pacific Ocean east of the Philippines, which are the same as the debris fall locations announced during the first launch in May and the second launch in August. The military has maintained surveillance posture by deploying Aegis destroyers capable of detecting and tracking North Korean launch vehicles at sea following the satellite launch notice, and plans to recover the debris.

A military official said regarding the success of stage separation of the North Korean launch vehicle and whether the reconnaissance satellite entered orbit, "We are currently analyzing it," adding, "The analysis may take some time."

Earlier, North Korea notified the Japanese government that it would launch a satellite between midnight on the 22nd and midnight on the 1st of next month. It is presumed that North Korea conducted the ‘surprise launch’ ahead of the announced period due to unfavorable weather conditions near the launch site.

Shinuiju, North Korea, near the West Sea Satellite Launch Site, was forecasted to be cloudy from midnight to 7 AM on the 22nd, with precipitation probability rising up to 60% after 8 AM. Military authorities were closely monitoring the area around Dongchang-ri from early dawn on the 22nd due to the possibility of snowfall.

Hong Min, a senior research fellow at the Korea Institute for National Unification, said, "While South Korea and the international community expected the launch early on the 22nd, North Korea conducted a deceptive surprise launch. They may have tactically adjusted the timing to avoid a highly noticeable time slot," adding, "It cannot be ruled out that the schedule was moved to today because the weather is cloudy and humid tomorrow morning."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Meanwhile, North Korea announced that the launch of the first military reconnaissance satellite ‘Manlilkyung-1’ launched the previous night was successful, about three hours after the reconnaissance satellite launch.

The Korean Central News Agency reported that "The National Aerospace Development Administration successfully launched the reconnaissance satellite ‘Manlilkyung-1’ mounted on the new satellite carrier rocket ‘Chollima-1’ at 22:42:28 on November 21, 2023, from the West Sea Satellite Launch Site in Cholsan County, North Pyongan Province."

The agency further explained, "The ‘Chollima-1’ followed the planned flight trajectory and successfully placed the reconnaissance satellite ‘Manlilkyung-1’ into orbit precisely at 22:54:13, just 705 seconds after launch."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.