Pyongyang, November 22 (KCNA) – The National Aerospace Technology Administration (NATA) of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea successfully launched the new-type carrier rocket “Chollima-1” loaded with the reconnaissance satellite “Malligyong-1” at the Sohae Satellite Launching Ground in Cholsan County, North Phyongan Province, at 22:42:28 on November 21, Juche 112 (2023).
The carrier rocket “Chollima-1” flew normally along the preset flight track and accurately put the reconnaissance satellite “Malligyong-1” on its orbit at 22:54:13, 705s after the launch.
The launch of reconnaissance satellite is a legitimate right of the DPRK for strengthening its self-defensive capabilities and it will make a significant contribution to definitely ramping up the war preparedness of the armed forces of the Republic in conformity with the security environment created in and around the country owing to the enemies’ dangerous military moves.
Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the DPRK, oversaw the launch on the spot.
He was accompanied by Kim Jong Sik, vice department director of the WPK Central Committee, and Jang Chang Ha, general director of the DPRK General Missile Bureau.
The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un oversaw the launch and warmly congratulated all the cadres, scientists and technicians of the NATA and relevant institutions on having made a great contribution to enhancing the Republic’s war deterrent and most correctly and excellently implementing the resolution of the Eighth Congress of the WPK.
The NATA is to present to the 9th Plenary Meeting of the 8th WPK Central Committee a plan for continuing to secure the capability to reconnoiter the south Korean region and the region of operational interest of the DPRK armed forces by additionally launching several reconnaissance satellites in a short span of time. -0-
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Making orbit is hard. Really hard. Space is easy, just go 100km straight up (the Karman line). But staying in space means accelerating sideways to 27000-ish KPH at minimum. The engineering challenges are immense.
Making orbit with a sizeable payload also means the theoretical capability to drop a nuke anywhere on the planet. It’s one reason why the US government is so happy to facilitate deals between American launch companies and other countries to launch their satellites for them, instead of forcing them to develop homegrown dual-purpose rocketry technology.