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Lasrick writes “David Wright of the Union of Concerned Scientists and the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists analyzes the debris from North Korea’s December 11th Unha-3 launch. From the article: ‘According to press reports, traces on the inner walls of the tank show that the first-stage oxidizer is a form of nitric acid called “red-fuming nitric acid,” which is the standard oxidizer used in Scud-type missiles. There had been some speculation that this stage might instead use a more advanced fuel with nitrogen tetroxide (NTO) as the oxidizer. Since the Nodong engines believed to power the first stage are scaled-up Scud engines, the use of RNFA is not a surprise. There have also been claims that the stage uses a more advanced fuel called UDMH, but it appears instead to be the kerosene-based fuel used in Scuds. In his recent RAND study, Markus Schiller noted that a test Iraq performed using UDMH in a Scud engine gave poor performance, and that burning UDMH gives a transparent flame. The North Korean video of the launch instead shows an orange flame characteristic of Scud fuels (Figure 3 is an image from 12:44 into the video). These findings confirm that the stage is still Scud-level technology.'”

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

SOURCE Slashdot

North Korea’s has the ability to fire a rocket more than 10,000km, theoretically putting the Western US in range, South Korean officials say.

SOURCE BBC News – Asia

North Korea says it arrested a US citizen in November after he entered the country as a tourist, without giving details of his alleged crimes.

SOURCE BBC News – Asia

North Korea appears to be struggling to regain control of a satellite it put into orbit with a rocket launch last week, say astronomers.

SOURCE BBC News – Asia

submitted by Wing_attack_Plan_R [link] [comment]

SOURCE North Korea

North Korea has defied international warnings with an apparently successful launch of its rocket.

SOURCE BBC News – Asia

The U.N. Security Council has condemned Tuesday’s missile launch by North Korea. The North Koreans say their rocket put a satellite into space — but the move violated U.N. resolutions aimed at curbing North Korea’s attempts to develop ballistic missile technology.

Neighbours accuse North Korea of conducting a disguised missile test, as it successfully launches a rocket to put a satellite into space.

SOURCE BBC News – Asia

North Korea thumbs nose at neighbours and enemies

SOURCE BBC News – Asia

Japan says North Korea’s action was intolerable. The White House calls it a “highly provocative act.” The U.N. Security Council is expected to meet later today. North Korea, though, insists this was a peaceful mission to put a satellite in orbit. It celebrated its accomplishment.

SOURCE Asia