Taepodong-1 is a three-stage intermediate-range ballistic missile developed in North Korea and currently in service there. The missile was derived originally from the Scud rocket, and can allegedly serve as both a nuclear delivery system and a space launch vehicle.

History

On August 31, 1998, it was announced by the North Koreans that they had used this rocket to launch their first satellite Kwangmyŏngsŏng from a pad on the Musudan-ri peninsula. However, western sources never announced the detection of the satellite in orbit; it is thought that the third stage failed to fire and the satellite decayed very quickly while others believe the satellite never existed at all ^*.

After the launch of Kwangmyŏngsŏng, the following launch data was released. For an orbital flight the first stage burns for 95 seconds and lands in the Sea of Japan at . The second stage burns for 144 seconds and impacts the Pacific Ocean at . The third stage burns for a further 27 seconds. According to the North Korean media the object was in orbit about 5 minutes after launch. Broadcast excerpted in

Description

• Liftoff thrust: 525.25 kN
• Total mass: 33 406 kg
• Diameter: 1.80 m
• Length: 25.80 m

The rocket's first stage is a Nodong-1 IRBM.

Operators

• : The military of North Korea is the only operator of the Taepodong-1.

Notes