Taepodong-1
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Taepodong-1 is a three-stage intermediate-range ballistic missile developed in North Korea and currently in service there. The missile was derived originally from the Scud rocket, and can allegedly serve as both a nuclear delivery system and a space launch vehicle. However, in 2003 the US Defense Intelligence Agency reported to the Congress that, "We have no information to suggest Pyongyang intends to deploy the Taepo Dong 1 (TD-1) as a surface-to-surface missile in North Korea. We believe instead that the vehicle was a test bed for multi-stage missile technologies."[1]
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[edit] History
On August 31, 1998, it was announced by the North Koreans that they had used this rocket to launch their first satellite Kwangmyŏngsŏng from a pad on the Musudan-ri peninsula. However, western sources never announced the detection of the satellite in orbit; it is thought that the third stage failed to fire and the satellite decayed very quickly[2] while others believe the satellite's launch was successful (see Kwangmyŏngsŏng').
After the launch of Kwangmyŏngsŏng, the following launch data was released. For an orbital flight the first stage burns for 95 seconds and lands in the Sea of Japan at . The second stage burns for 144 seconds and impacts the Pacific Ocean at . The third stage burns for a further 27 seconds. According to the North Korean media the object was in orbit about 5 minutes after launch. [3]
[edit] Description
- Liftoff thrust: 525.25 kN
- Total mass: 33 406 kg
- Diameter: 1.80 m
- Length: 25.80 m
The rocket's first stage is a Nodong-1 IRBM.
The main engine uses graphite steering vanes for directional control, which is a crude mechanism compared to a gimballed main engine, with negative implications on efficiency, control authority and accuracy of the rocket.
[edit] Operators
- North Korea: The military of North Korea is the only operator of the Taepodong-1.
[edit] Notes
- ^ E:\PICKUP\89797A
- ^ A History of Ballistic Missile Development in the DPRK. Center for Nonproliferation Studies Occasional Papers. Retrieved on 2006-04-08.
- ^ Broadcast excerpted in Kwangmyongsong. Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved on 2006-04-08.
[edit] See also
- List of Korea-related topics
- Military of North Korea
- Rodong-1 Range: 1,300 km
- Rodong-2 Range: 2,000 km
- Taepodong-2 Range: 10,000 km
- Hyunmoo South Korea
- Asia's Space Race
