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Unha

Unha
Function	Expendable carrier rocket
Manufacturer	Korean Committee of Space Technology
Country of origin	North Korea
Size
Height	32.01 metres (105.0 ft)[citation needed]
Diameter	2.41 metres (7 ft 11 in)[citation needed]
Mass	85,000 kilograms (190,000 lb)[citation needed]
Stages	3
Capacity
Payload to LEO	100 kilograms (220 lb) ? (possibly to a 250 km orbit with 90° inclination)[citation needed] (220 lb)
Launch history
Status	Active
Launch sites	Sohae, Tonghae
Total launches	3
Successes	0
Failures	3
Maiden flight	4 July 2006[1]
First stage
Engines	4 Nodong 2-1 [2]
Thrust	1,200 kN[citation needed]
Specific impulse	252 sec[citation needed]
Burn time	120 seconds[citation needed]
Fuel	Nitric acid / UDMH
Second stage
Engines	1 Rodong[citation needed]
Thrust	250 kN[citation needed]
Specific impulse	255 sec[citation needed]
Burn time	110 seconds[citation needed]
Fuel	Nitric acid/UDMH
Third stage
Engines	1 Unha 2-3[citation needed]
Thrust	54 kN[citation needed]
Specific impulse	270 sec[citation needed]
Burn time	40 seconds[citation needed]
Fuel	Solid

The Unha or Eunha (Korean: 은하-2, 銀河-2, "Galaxy")^[3] is a North Korean expendable carrier rocket, which experts say utilises the same delivery system as the Taepodong-2 long-range ballistic missile.^[4]

History [link]

North Korea'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,^{[citation needed]} 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 tonnes-force (1,100 kN) of liftoff thrust, sufficient to rapidly lift the 78 tonne carrier rocket.^[5] According to Japanese reports, the second stage splashed down in the Pacific Ocean approximately 3,200 kilometers from the launch site.^[6]

Vehicle description [link]

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 Scud motors. The second stage is supposed to be based on SS-N-6 technology North Korea is known to have acquired.^[7] The third and last stage might be identical to the Iranian Safir's second stage which is propelled by two small gimballed motors.^[8] Due to the enormous dimensions of the missile and the excessive amount of time needed for fueling, the missile's military value is questionable.^{[citation needed]} Also North Korea has probably not yet developed a nuclear warhead small enough to be fit on their ballistic missiles.^[9]

Launch History [link]

On 24 February 2009, North Korea announced that a Unha rocket would be used to launch the Kwangmyŏngsŏng-2 satellite.^[10] According to the South Korean government, the launch took place on 5 April^[11] from the Tonghae Satellite Launching Ground in Hwadae county.^[12] 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 missiles.^[13] Russia also announced they urged North Korea to refrain from its planned rocket launch.^[14] It was also reported that the launch may be a cover for a suborbital test of the Taepodong-2 missile.^[12] 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.^[15]

On April 5, 2009 the Unha-2 rocket was launched at around 02:30 hours UTC (11:30 hours KST).^[16] The U.S Northern Command said that the first stage of the rocket fell into the Sea of Japan (East Sea of Korea), while the other rocket stages as well as the payload fell into the Pacific Ocean, and no object entered orbit.^[17][18] Later analysis indicated the rocket impacted 2,390 miles (3,850 km) from the launch site, and that the second stage operated normally but the rocket's third stage failed to separate properly.^[19] North Korea maintains that the rocket successfully put its payload in orbit.^[20]

Designation	Date	Launch Site	Payload	Remarks
Unha-1[1]	4 July 2006[1]	Tonghae	Unknown	Failed early in flight, possibly intended to be suborbital[1]
Unha-2	5 April 2009	Tonghae	Kwangmyŏngsŏng-2	Failed to reach orbit[21]
Unha-3	13 April 2012	Sohae	Kwangmyŏngsŏng-3	Failed to reach orbit[22]

See also [link]

• Comparison of orbital launchers families

• Naro-1
• Paektusan (rocket)
• Simorgh (rocket)

References [link]

External links [link]

Wikinews has related news: North Korea launches rocket

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Unha missiles

• "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"

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