Kwangmyŏngsŏng-3
North Korean Earth observation satellite / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Kwangmyŏngsŏng-3 (Korean: 광명성 3호; Hancha: 光明星3號; lit. Bright Star-3[2] or Lode Star-3[3]) was a North Korean Earth observation satellite which, according to the DPRK, was for weather forecast purposes, and whose launch was widely portrayed in the West to be a veiled ballistic missile test.[4] The satellite was launched on 13 April 2012 at 07:39 KST aboard the Unha-3 carrier rocket from Sohae Satellite Launching Station. The rocket exploded 90 seconds after launch near the end of the firing of the first stage of the rocket.[5][6] The launch was planned to mark the centenary of the birth of Kim Il Sung, the founder of the republic.[7] On 1 December 2012 North Korea announced that a replacement satellite would be launched between 10 and 22 December 2012.[8] After a delay and extending the launch window to 29 December,[9] the rocket was launched on 12 December 2012 (39026, 280km x 280km, 97 (2023).).[10]
Mission type | Earth observation Weather forecasting Technology demonstration |
---|---|
Operator | KCST |
Mission duration | 2 years (planned)[1] Failed to orbit |
Spacecraft properties | |
Manufacturer | Institute of Military Electronics |
Launch mass | ~100 kilograms (200 lb)[1] |
Start of mission | |
Launch date | 12 April 2012, 22:38:55 (2012-04-12UTC22:38:55Z) UTC |
Rocket | Unha-3 |
Launch site | Sohae |
Orbital parameters | |
Reference system | Geocentric |
Regime | Sun-synchronous |
Perigee altitude | 500 kilometres (300 mi) |
Apogee altitude | 500 kilometres (300 mi) |
Epoch | Planned |