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North Korea states it attempted new fuel in satellite launch that ended in intense surge

North Korea's latest satellite launch blew up in a fireball before dropping into the Yellow Sea simply minutes after lifting off, however experts say the effort showcased new strides in the nucleararmed country's race for area.

North Korea said its latest effort to release a military reconnaissance satellite failed in flight on Monday during the rocket's first stage, which included a brand-new liquid oxygen and petroleum engine.

A preliminary analysis suggested that the cause of the failure included the freshly developed liquid-fuel rocket motor, however other possible causes were being investigated, a report brought by state media KCNA stated.

Although state media did not name the rocket or release images, experts stated it was more than likely various from the Chollima-1 rocket used in the successful satellite launch in November 2023. The Chollima-1, which also suffered a number of explosive test failures, utilizes hypergolic fuels, compounds that can be saved at room temperature however ignite on contact each other, requiring cautious handling.

U.S. officials and independent experts stated the Chollima-1 appeared to be based upon systems established for North Korea's nuclear-tipped global ballistic missiles, which generally do not use liquid oxygen due to the fact that of frigid temperature levels required for storage.

A petroleum fuel and liquid oxygen engine might suggest that Russia, which pledged last year to assist North Korea's. satellite program, might have supplied help, stated Lee. Choon-geun, an honorary research fellow at South Korea's Science. and Technology Policy Institute.

Even if it stopped working, it is a substantial leap, he stated, noting. that a few of South Korea's space rockets were at first. established with Russia years ago and use comparable innovation. Russia is the strongest nation for liquid oxygen-kerosene. fuel, and our Naro and Nuri rockets have embraced it through. technical cooperation with Russia.

Liquid oxygen boils at -183 ° C(-- 297 ° F ), and requires. specialised fuel storage and other equipment, Lee stated. That may. represent why North Korea carried out several static rocket. tests late in 2015, he added.

It is quite difficult to fix combustion instability. problems of this fuel system and use products and parts that. can hold up against extremely low temperature levels, Lee said.

Some experts questioned why North Korea would change. engine types, but Lee stated it could permit Pyongyang to separate. its civilian space program from the ballistic missiles prohibited by. the United Nations Security Council.

Russian experts have gone to North Korea to help with. the satellite and space rocket program, Yonhap news company. reported, citing an unnamed South Korean senior defence. official.

Neither Moscow nor Pyongyang have detailed what aid is. being supplied.

Shin Jong-woo, a senior scientist at the Korea Defense. and Security Online forum, stated that if Russia helped design the brand-new. rocket or satellite, North Korea would likewise more than likely requirement. Russian parts well into the future, deepening the. cooperation.

North Koreans can re-launch quickly if they get and. evaluate data correctly for that two-minute flight, Shin stated.

South Korea's military, however, stated it might take. North Korea a long time before it can try to introduce again.

South Korea released video footage on Tuesday that its. armed force said revealed the minute the launch ended in failure.

The one-minute black-and-white video offered by the South's. Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) revealed what seemed an. explosion in the sky followed by flashes.

The video was recorded by an observation device on a South. Korean patrol vessel, the JCS stated.

Video launched on Monday by Japanese broadcaster NHK,. shot from the Chinese border city of Dandong, showed a similar. ball of flame that officials stated was most likely exploding fuel.

Nuclear envoys of South Korea, the United States and Japan. had a call on Tuesday and highly condemned the launch as. a direct offense of the U.N. Security Council resolutions. prohibiting the North's use of ballistic missile technology, Seoul's. foreign ministry said.

The launch came hours after China, South Korea, and Japan. finished up a rare three-way summit in Seoul.

(source: Reuters)