• Japan and South Korea say North Korea has fired a rocket (missile?) heading southbound
    60 replies, posted
[url]http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/12/us-korea-north-rocket-idUSBRE8BB02K20121212[/url] [quote=Reuters]Isolated and impoverished North Korea launched its second long- range rocket of 2012 on Wednesday in what it said was a bid to put a satellite into space. The North launched the rocket close to the first anniversary of the death of former leader Kim Jong-il and as elections loom in South Korea and Japan. The launch, reported by South Korean media, was confirmed by South Korea's Defense Ministry. Pyongyang says it is entitled to launch a satellite into space but critics say the rocket development is aimed at nurturing the kind of technology needed to mount a nuclear warhead on a long-range missile. North Korea is banned from conducting missile and nuclear-related tests under U.N. sanctions imposed after its 2006 and 2009 nuclear tests. The latest launch comes after a failed attempt in April that fizzled less than two minutes after blast-off. Japan and South Korea put their armed forces on alert prior to the launch. The rocket is scheduled to pass between the Korean peninsula and China, with a second stage splashing down off the Philippines before launching the satellite into orbit. Most political analysts believe the launch is designed to bolster the credentials of new leader Kim Jong-un as he cements his rule over the country of 22 million people. A government official in Seoul said recently that the transition of power to Kim Jong-un did not appear to be going as smoothly as anticipated and there were signs that the regime was concerned over the possibility of rising dissent. Kim is the third of his line to rule North Korea, whose national output is around one-fortieth of that of prosperous South Korea. Plans for the launch has drawn criticism from South Korea, Russia, Japan and the United States as well as NATO and the United Nations. The North's only major diplomatic ally, China, has expressed "deep concern" over the launch but is thought unlikely to back any further sanctions against its ally.[/quote]
Please, it'll just crash in their country. Then just make a *clunk*.
I hope they achieve orbit this time, if that is the true nature of the mission. I mean even if it has malicious intent behind it, achieving orbit would still be a landmark accomplishment for a nation that can't even feed itself. Keep in mind that the kind of satellite that they're claiming to launch would give them access to information that would make it easier for them to feed themselves.
NHK is saying it's probably going to fall 300 km east of the Philippines.
[QUOTE=J Paul;38795583]I hope they achieve orbit this time, if that is the true nature of the mission. I mean even if it has malicious intent behind it, achieving orbit would still be a landmark accomplishment for a nation that can't even feed itself.[/QUOTE] I'm sorry but how would this help at all? First off, launching a rocket with a long range doesn't help feed your citizens (besides what motivation do they have for actually caring about their people?), and second, launching a rocket will further polarize the two sides making the whole thing a lot worse.
[QUOTE=J Paul;38795583]I hope they achieve orbit this time, if that is the true nature of the mission. I mean even if it has malicious intent behind it, achieving orbit would still be a landmark accomplishment for a nation that can't even feed itself.[/QUOTE] The idea that a country that cant even feed its population is sending a rocket into orbit is sickening.
Shit, we need to save the ocean life!
I have to wonder if a tsunami would be generated by it falling and/or exploding (if it has some form of explosive payload)...
[QUOTE=LagMonster!!!!;38795661]The idea that a country that cant even feed its population is sending a rocket into orbit is sickening.[/QUOTE] [QUOTE=toaster_2.0;38795659]I'm sorry but how would this help at all? First off, launching a rocket with a long range doesn't help feed your citizens (besides what motivation do they have for actually caring about their people?), and second, launching a rocket will further polarize the two sides making the whole thing a lot worse.[/QUOTE] Weather satellites are a key part of how a modern nation produces the amount of food need to sustain itself. I'm not saying it is what they claim, for all anyone knows, it could be a nuclear weapons test. But, if it is what they're saying it is, that's the exact thing that will help them become self-sufficient.
A bit early for the predictions. Business Insider has an article about why it might succeed. It would be nice for the country to have some type of aide in technological advances (benevolent ones like weather satellites). [URL]http://www.businessinsider.com/north-koreas-ominous-missile-delay-2012-12[/URL]
It's been ten minutes. Any word on if it made it?
Reuters did report that Japan said that it passed over the Okinawa prefecture, so it's likely it made it.
[QUOTE=J Paul;38795685]Weather satellites are a key part of how a modern nation produces the amount of food need to sustain itself. I'm not saying it is what they claim, for all anyone knows, it could be a nuclear weapons test. But, if it is what they're saying it is, that's the exact thing that will help them become self-sufficient.[/QUOTE] I think you are missing my point. They obviously don't care about feeding their people because well fed people have the energy to protest, but lets say even if they don't protest, you and I both know that the North Korean government isn't a shining symbol of generosity so they are not after a weather satellite.
[QUOTE=wickedplayer494;38795683]I have to wonder if a tsunami would be generated by it falling and/or exploding (if it has some form of explosive payload)...[/QUOTE] It's been tried before: [url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsunami_bomb[/url] And it turns out that it doesn't work although they've never tried using nuclear weapons.
Dear Leader: "We need a weather satellite." the people: "Why?" DL: "Advanced weather prediction will maxmize our ability to grow food." the people: "We have the technology to grow food? Since when?"
[QUOTE=wickedplayer494;38795697]Reuters did report that Japan said that it passed over the Okinawa prefecture, so it's likely it made it.[/QUOTE] Which would mean that as ghetto as they compare to the south, they managed to successfully launch a rocket first. :v:
NHK saying that some fragments of the rocket are in the ocean west of the Korean peninsula.
[QUOTE=toaster_2.0;38795709]I think you are missing my point. They obviously don't care about feeding their people because well fed people have the energy to protest, but lets say even if they don't protest, you and I both know that the North Korean government isn't a shining symbol of generosity.[/QUOTE] Of course not, but they do have a track record of at least making attempts to improve their situation. Even though the Nampo Dam was an extremely misguided tragedy, it seems to have been done with good intentions in mind.
[QUOTE=wickedplayer494;38795683]I have to wonder if a tsunami would be generated by it falling and/or exploding (if it has some form of explosive payload)...[/QUOTE] It wouldn't.
[QUOTE=J Paul;38795834]Of course not, but they do have a track record of at least making attempts to improve their situation. Even though the Nampo Dam was an extremely misguided tragedy, it seems to have been done with good intentions in mind.[/QUOTE] All I am saying it would have been a better strategy to be neutral and accept aid from the US, like they did before this rocket fiasco.
Wow, they figured out model rockets. Go them.
[QUOTE=OvB;38795861]It wouldn't.[/QUOTE] Did you already get that PhD in Oceanography?
[QUOTE=Eudoxia;38795906]Did you already get that PhD in Oceanography?[/QUOTE] No :c [editline]11th December 2012[/editline] I mean, you probably [i]could[/i] do it. But you would need one hell of an explosive below the surface.
[url]http://whatif.xkcd.com/15/[/url] xkcd has you covered on that underwater explosion thing
Every time I hear of North Korean missile tests, I get an odd urge to play Kerbal Space Program...
[img]http://upaoncp.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/coincedence.jpg[/img] :tinfoil:
There are reports that the launch failed
[QUOTE=jordguitar;38796174]There are reports that the launch failed[/QUOTE] No shit it did.
[QUOTE=wickedplayer494;38795683]I have to wonder if a tsunami would be generated by it falling and/or exploding (if it has some form of explosive payload)...[/QUOTE] Even a (thermo)nuclear weapon would be hard-pressed to generate the forces need for a tsunami
cnn is in breaking news overload [editline]12th December 2012[/editline] now there are other reports that it was successful. The only thing now is whatever they put up there in a stable orbit
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