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North Korea's Satellite Tumbling In Orbit

Posted by timothy on from the maybe-they-just-want-some-sweet-tv dept.

schwit1 writes: U.S. Defense officials stated Tuesday that the satellite that North Korea launched on Sunday is now tumbling in orbit and is useless. Do not take comfort from this failure. North Korea has demonstrated that it can put payloads in orbit. From this achievement it is a very short leap to aiming those payloads to impact any continent on Earth. They might not be able to aim that impact very accurately, but if you want to ignite an atomic bomb somewhere, you don't have to be very accurate.

5 of 257 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Let's get real by jeffb+(2.718) · · Score: 3, Informative

    I don't think N. Korea can miniaturize their bombs to that degree. It's probably about 10 tons and bomb-looking as hell.

    If that's so, it seems to support GP's point. 10 tons is greater than the throw weight of the largest ICBM in history (8800 kg). The Taepodong-2 vehicle's payload capacity at maximum range (which would only reach the western US, btw) is estimated to be 500 kg or less.

    If they want to launch it at us, they've pretty much got to get it small enough to fit in a car.

    Disclaimer: this is not my field. I'm probably missing a lot of things.

  2. CNN lol by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    CNN is always behind....get a better source
    http://www.reuters.com/article/us-northkorea-satellite-orbit-idUSKCN0VI1XN

    North Korea's recently launched satellite has achieved stable orbit but is not believed to have transmitted data back to Earth, U.S. sources said of a launch that has so far failed to convince experts that Pyongyang has significantly advanced its rocket technology.

    Sunday's launch of what North Korea said was an earth observation satellite angered the country's neighbors and the United States, which called it a missile test. It followed Pyongyang's fourth nuclear test in January.

    "It's in a stable orbit now. They got the tumbling under control," a U.S. official said on Tuesday.

  3. "Tumbling under control" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Reuters is reporting that the tumbling has stopped.

    http://www.reuters.com/article/us-northkorea-satellite-orbit-idUSKCN0VI1XN

  4. No Longer Tumbling by bengoerz · · Score: 4, Informative

    According to multiple sources, the satellite is no longer tumbling.

  5. If a warhead tumbles, it is useless by Geoffrey.landis · · Score: 4, Informative

    If a nuclear missile tumbles after launch, it won't survive entry.

    Stabilizing your payload is not optional for nuclear weapons, it's mandatory.

    --
    http://www.geoffreylandis.com