More Satellite Launches Planned: North Korea

Brushing aside criticism of South Korea, the U.S and their allies to its rocket launch, North Korea said more satellite launches had been planned.

A statement posted on the North Korean official news agency’s website said, “the National Aerospace Development Administration (NADA) of the DPRK will in the future, too, launch more satellites of Juche into the space.”

While the U.S and its allies said that the rocket launch earlier today violated five UN resolutions, the DPRK –NADA said that it succeeded in putting the newly developed earth observation satellite Kwangmyongsong-4 into orbit.

Carrier rocket Kwangmyongsong blasted off from the Sohae Space Center in Cholsan County, North Phyongan Province at 09:00 on February 7, Juche 105(2016). The satellite entered its pre-set orbit at 09:09:46, 9 minutes and 46 seconds after the lift-off.

The satellite is going round the polar orbit at 494.6 km perigee altitude and 500 km apogee altitude at the angle of inclination of 97.4 degrees. Its cycle is 94 minutes and 24 seconds.

Elaborating on the satellite payload the report said that installed in Kwangmyongsong-4 are measuring apparatuses and telecommunications apparatuses needed for observing the earth.

 “The complete success made in the Kwangmyongsong-4 lift-off is an epochal event in developing the country's science, technology, economy and defense capability by legitimately exercising the right to use space for independent and peaceful purposes,” the statement said.