Unha
Encyclopedia
The Unha or Eunha is a North Korea
n expendable
carrier rocket
, which experts say utilises the same delivery system as the Taepodong-2
long-range ballistic missile
. The designation Unha-2 has also been used to refer to the rocket, however it has not been confirmed whether this is part of the name, or a serial number
for an individual rocket.
's first orbital space launch attempt occurred on August 31, 1998. That failed launch was performed by a Paektusan
rocket. Taepo Dong 1 used a solid motor third stage, a Scud-missile-based second stage, and a 'Rodong-1' based first stage. Rodong-1 was a North Korean-developed stage thought to be a scale-up of the old Soviet Scud missile. TaepoDong 1 stood 22.5 metres tall, was 1.8 metres in diameter, and weighed about 21 tonnes.
Unha-2 is believed to be a three-stage rocket derived from North Korea's Taepodong-2
ballistic missile
- a missile that first flew, unsuccessfully, in 2006. The rocket, believed to have been attempting a suborbital test, failed after only 40 seconds. TaepoDong 2's big new first stage is thought to be powered by four engines, one of which powered the country's earlier Taepo Dong 1 first stage. The four engines may produce 112 tonne-forces (1,098.3 kN) of liftoff thrust, sufficient to rapidly lift the 78 tonne carrier rocket. According to Japanese reports, the second stage splashed down in the Pacific Ocean approximately 3,200 kilometers from the launch site.
motors. The second stage is supposed to be based on SS-N-6 technology North Korea is known to have acquired. The third and last stage might be identical to the Iranian Safir's second stage which is propelled by two small gimballed motors. Due to the enormous dimensions of the missile and the excessive amount of time needed for fueling the missile's military value is questionable. Also North Korea has probably not yet developed a nuclear warhead small enough to be fit on their ballistic missiles.
satellite. According to the South Korean government, the launch took place on 5 April from the Tonghae Satellite Launching Ground in Hwadae
county. Several countries, including South Korea
, the U.S.A., and Japan
, have voiced concern that the launch might violate United Nations
Security Council
Resolution 1718
which prohibits North Korea from testing ballistic missile
s. Russia also announced they urged North Korea to refrain from its planned rocket launch. It was also reported that the launch may be a cover for a suborbital
test of the Taepodong-2 missile.
The large first stage of the Unha-2 launcher is new and has not been successfully flight-tested. The only previous flight test was in July 2006. The first stage had failed approximately 40 seconds into the launch causing the launcher to crash a few kilometres from the launch site.
resembles North Korea’s Unha-2 missile."
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
n expendable
Expendable launch system
An expendable launch system is a launch system that uses an expendable launch vehicle to carry a payload into space. The vehicles used in expendable launch systems are designed to be used only once , and their components are not recovered for re-use after launch...
carrier rocket
Launch vehicle
In spaceflight, a launch vehicle or carrier rocket is a rocket used to carry a payload from the Earth's surface into outer space. A launch system includes the launch vehicle, the launch pad and other infrastructure....
, which experts say utilises the same delivery system as the Taepodong-2
Taepodong-2
The Taepodong-2 is a designation used to indicate a North Korean two or three-stage ballistic missile design that is the successor to the Taepodong-1.-Details:...
long-range ballistic missile
Ballistic missile
A ballistic missile is a missile that follows a sub-orbital ballistic flightpath with the objective of delivering one or more warheads to a predetermined target. The missile is only guided during the relatively brief initial powered phase of flight and its course is subsequently governed by the...
. The designation Unha-2 has also been used to refer to the rocket, however it has not been confirmed whether this is part of the name, or a serial number
Serial number
A serial number is a unique number assigned for identification which varies from its successor or predecessor by a fixed discrete integer value...
for an individual rocket.
History
North KoreaNorth Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
's first orbital space launch attempt occurred on August 31, 1998. That failed launch was performed by a Paektusan
Paektusan (rocket)
The Paektusan, also transliterated Baekdusan or Pekdosan is a North Korean expendable carrier rocket, derived from the Taepodong-1 intermediate-range ballistic missile...
rocket. Taepo Dong 1 used a solid motor third stage, a Scud-missile-based second stage, and a 'Rodong-1' based first stage. Rodong-1 was a North Korean-developed stage thought to be a scale-up of the old Soviet Scud missile. TaepoDong 1 stood 22.5 metres tall, was 1.8 metres in diameter, and weighed about 21 tonnes.
Unha-2 is believed to be a three-stage rocket derived from North Korea's Taepodong-2
Taepodong-2
The Taepodong-2 is a designation used to indicate a North Korean two or three-stage ballistic missile design that is the successor to the Taepodong-1.-Details:...
ballistic missile
Ballistic missile
A ballistic missile is a missile that follows a sub-orbital ballistic flightpath with the objective of delivering one or more warheads to a predetermined target. The missile is only guided during the relatively brief initial powered phase of flight and its course is subsequently governed by the...
- a missile that first flew, unsuccessfully, in 2006. The rocket, believed to have been attempting a suborbital test, failed after only 40 seconds. TaepoDong 2's big new first stage is thought to be powered by four engines, one of which powered the country's earlier Taepo Dong 1 first stage. The four engines may produce 112 tonne-forces (1,098.3 kN) of liftoff thrust, sufficient to rapidly lift the 78 tonne carrier rocket. According to Japanese reports, the second stage splashed down in the Pacific Ocean approximately 3,200 kilometers from the launch site.
Vehicle description
Due to the secrecy of North Korea's ballistic missile programme technical details are scarce. According to several analysts the Unha's first stage consists of four clustered Nodong motors, which themselves are enlarged ScudScud
Scud is a series of tactical ballistic missiles developed by the Soviet Union during the Cold War, and exported widely to other countries. The term comes from the NATO reporting name SS-1 Scud which was attached to the missile by Western intelligence agencies...
motors. The second stage is supposed to be based on SS-N-6 technology North Korea is known to have acquired. The third and last stage might be identical to the Iranian Safir's second stage which is propelled by two small gimballed motors. Due to the enormous dimensions of the missile and the excessive amount of time needed for fueling the missile's military value is questionable. Also North Korea has probably not yet developed a nuclear warhead small enough to be fit on their ballistic missiles.
Launch History
On 24 February 2009, North Korea announced that a Unha rocket would be used to launch the Kwangmyŏngsŏng-2Kwangmyŏngsŏng-2
In this regard, a delegation of fifteen strong Iranian rocket scientists, including senior officials with Iranian rocket and satellite producer Shahid Hemmat Industrial Group, has been in the DPRK since the beginning of March, to help prepare for the launch...
satellite. According to the South Korean government, the launch took place on 5 April from the Tonghae Satellite Launching Ground in Hwadae
Hwadae
Hwadae is a county in southern North Hamgyong province, North Korea, with an area of about 460 km² and a population of approximately 70,000. It adjoins the Sea of Japan on the east and south. By land, it adjoins Kimchaek and Kilchu to the west, and Myŏngch'ŏn to the north...
county. Several countries, including South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, the U.S.A., and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, have voiced concern that the launch might violate United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Security Council
United Nations Security Council
The United Nations Security Council is one of the principal organs of the United Nations and is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security. Its powers, outlined in the United Nations Charter, include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of...
Resolution 1718
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1718
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1718 was adopted unanimously by the United Nations Security Council on October 14, 2006. The resolution, passed under Chapter VII, Article 41, of the UN Charter, imposes a series of economic and commercial sanctions on the Democratic People's Republic of...
which prohibits North Korea from testing ballistic missile
Ballistic missile
A ballistic missile is a missile that follows a sub-orbital ballistic flightpath with the objective of delivering one or more warheads to a predetermined target. The missile is only guided during the relatively brief initial powered phase of flight and its course is subsequently governed by the...
s. Russia also announced they urged North Korea to refrain from its planned rocket launch. It was also reported that the launch may be a cover for a suborbital
Sub-orbital spaceflight
A sub-orbital space flight is a spaceflight in which the spacecraft reaches space, but its trajectory intersects the atmosphere or surface of the gravitating body from which it was launched, so that it does not complete one orbital revolution....
test of the Taepodong-2 missile.
The large first stage of the Unha-2 launcher is new and has not been successfully flight-tested. The only previous flight test was in July 2006. The first stage had failed approximately 40 seconds into the launch causing the launcher to crash a few kilometres from the launch site.
| Variant | Date of Launch | Launch Location | Payload | Mission Status |
| Unha-2 | 5 April 2009 | Tonghae Satellite Launching Ground |  Kwangmyŏngsŏng-2Kwangmyŏngsŏng-2 In this regard, a delegation of fifteen strong Iranian rocket scientists, including senior officials with Iranian rocket and satellite producer Shahid Hemmat Industrial Group, has been in the DPRK since the beginning of March, to help prepare for the launch... |
Failed to reach orbit |
Simorgh
Uzi Rubin, former director of Israel’s Ballistic Missile Defense Organization said "The SimorghSimorgh (rocket)
Simorgh is an Iranian expendable small-capacity orbital carrier rocket, which was scheduled to make its maiden flight in 2010. It was unveiled by Iraninan President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on 3 February 2010, as part of celebrations of the first anniversary of the launch of Omid, the first...
resembles North Korea’s Unha-2 missile."
External links
- "An Analysis of North Korea’s Unha-2 Launch Vehicle," David Wright, March 20, 2009.
- Robert S. Norris and Hans M. Kristensen, "Nuclear Notebook: North Korea’s nuclear program, 2005", "Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists", May/June 2005.
- "Footage Of North Korean Rocket Launch" April 5, 2009.
- "North Korea's impressive space launch vehicle "Unha-2"