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North Korean Rocket Prepped For Take Off - Launchpad Photos And Videos
With Iran supposedly sitting down on the bargaining table for one last, soon to be failed, effort at diffusing the nuclear situation, the key geopolitical event this week will be the launch of North Korea's Unha-3 rocket, which the country insists is a peaceful launch, and the satellite contained is for scientific research. Others are not as optimistic, and Japan has already taken precautions to intercept the rocket should it get precariously close to Tokyo. Even China has cautioned against such a launch. The tentative launch window to commemorate the 100th birthday of NK founder Kim Il-Sung is set for April 12-16. So what does the rocket look like? Here it is: up close and personal.
And a clip:
More from CNN:
North Korea insists this is a peaceful launch, the satellite for scientific research. The United States and its allies are more dubious. To much of the world this country, still technically at war, is taking yet another step towards perfecting a long range missile that could strike American cities.
"I'm very disturbed by these claims," the head of the launch site says.
Can you deny it is a missile? I ask.
"Look for yourself," he replies. "Does it look like a missile to you? This is why we invited you here."
True, North Korea has taken an historic step. This is unprecedented access, bringing media from around the world to a highly sensitive site that had been hidden from view. As I step from our train, the launch pad and rocket are clearly visible nestled against a hill in the distance.
Up close, we get the grand tour. Not only taken to the base of the rocket itself, but to the control center and the small satellite North Korea maintains will be fired into orbit.
This is not the first time this reclusive nation has carried out such tests. There was a failed launch in 2006 and another slightly more successful in 2009. Still, analysts say along with its nuclear program, Pyongyang has continued refining its missile technology. A successful launch this time, warn international observers, would show that North Korea could deliver an object anywhere on the planet.
After the death of the so-called Dear Leader, Kim Jong il, last December there were brief flickers of hope his son and successor Kim Jong Un, still under 30, may begin to reform the country. U.S envoys sat down with North Korean officials in Beijing in February and promptly announced a new food aid deal. But this launch has scuttled any optimism.
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No one remembered to bring a match?
Kewl! Let's light this candle, Hiroshi.
Prepare to raunch the missire!
Hey....stop that....we're really learryous about this!
ah! skywerke week! ... who hath da biggest wanger!!
Only some are allowed to wave the wanger!
Gots to be in the UN sickurity council ... demz da rulz sNorklez!!
More saber rattling to keep the hapless sheep scared. Gots ta keep the military industrial complex properly funded.
1 sam and it's over. What's the problem?
A nuke delivered via an acoustically 'low-observable' mini-sub, into a major harbour, via a low-speed ultra-quiet self-navigating nuclear torpedo that can swim and precision navigate for >75 miles, at such low speeds.
See the problem with just shooting down their stuff with SAMs?
You can lose a naval base and a fleet at anchor, plus the whole port.
i.e. a legitimate MILITARY target.
Thus you don't escalate into armed attack on a ballistic missile test from a state who has* deliverable 5 to 10kt nukes.
* unless it's Pakistan. Then it's ok because they'll never respond via using a nuclear-armed sub to destroy a US fleet at anchor, and the surrounding naval base and logistics stores, etc. ... oh ... wait a minute.
Raunch? Can't we have breakfast first? Oh, forgot, we have no food...
...3...2...1...BRASTOFF!
Those hats are pretty smug though. They'll cave in last minute on the launch.
Heh heh......those NKs are junking the crap out of us Gene.
At this point I'm just glad they can work the button ;)
..
Don't let the French-looking hat fool you.
In the Grande French Tradition of High Style, bet the kepis smell like unwashed pussy.
North Koreans are listening to too much rap music.
Tweakers. Way the fuck too thin. Tweakers, the lot.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ju1UwmgkKgI
You'd better take a look at this sir.....it looks like a giant....
What's with the guy reaching inside a hole at the bottom of the rocket? German V2 sites looked safer.
It's amazing that a country that can't even afford food can afford to build this rocket-shaped metal shell and matching faux launch tower.
Priorities......kinda like the US. Screw the people.....we now have heathcare we can't afford.
No time to read it.....just pass it.
Boom......WINNING!!!!
Stop kidding me...
That's just the set decoration from "Dr. No" & "You Only Live Twice"
Bond's too busy chasing Pussy Galore to worry about rockets.
If they really want to get us going, they should launch it out of a dormant volcano crater.
Yeah but look at it, NorKland looks like it's already been hit!
Don't thing threat (or actual attackerz) are goings to werkers in dis cases.
The Castro Theatre in San Francisco is having 3 days of 007 movies this month.
Goldfinger is not amongst the offerings. Lucky I have it on DVD.
Bond electricutes two different people in this movie. I guess we found out what "Her Majesty's Secret Service' is.
North Korean government should spend less time and money on building rockets, and more on feeding its people.
But feeding people doesn't give one quite the same raging hard-on that endangering regional stability does, does it?
That's HOW they feed their people...
They build rockets & demand 'food' otherwise the clown gets it...
Shoot it down ! We have a right to "test" our ABMs ! Doesn't BO Juice have any balls ? Monedas 2012 Comedy Jihad Condom Tester PS: Every Black person who applauded OJ Simpson's acquital has earned "Juice" as their inherit the wind legacy nickname !
Why waste a rocket on Tokyo when Fuku will settle their hash soon enough.
... and anywhere else downwind/current.
I saw in the newspaper this weekend that they are finding radioactive Iodine in the Kelp of the coast of California. Just in time for the newly reinstated salmon season this year!
.
If those dudes had any oil, we'd be all over them for this assault on our freedoms.
Don't forget the gold, too.
Oil only is a 1/2 invasion, like sanctions and rhetoric.
Oil + gold is doomed Mongol Hoarde Nightmare right from the fucking start.
They'll be lucky if that thing makes it over the hills in the backround
Exactly.
If history is any guide this is likely to be as successful as a couple of 8 year old setting off a couple of homemade rockets.
Remember that horrific ammo dump explosion near the Chinese border......we could use another one of those....hint, hint ! There is nothing faux about this rocket nor the murderous Norko aggressions for 60 years which Madeline and Hillary just don't know how to deal with ! Fucking overmedicated liberal cunts ! Monedas 2012 There's only one thing the Norkos understand....let them have it ! Let's take advantage of the world collapse as cover to settle some old scores !
Maybe it's taking Kim Jong's ashes to Uranus.
Quite possibly. I'm hoping they strap Ben Bernanke to it and launch it into the sun.
Save room for Blythe!
It kinda looks like the Titanic.
Some boys from Colorado are paying the norks 50 bucks to send Willzyx back home to the moon.
Who? Balloon boy and his brother?
I hope it goes well for them. I personally am not afraid of North Koreans.
Nobody in Washington is really worried about this rocket, they're more focused on their own racket. However, if that rocket ever gets the range to hit Israel........
Let's send Jimmy Carter to Pyongyang to build "habititat" for humanity ! Fucking loser ! Where's a MacArthur a Reagan a Maggie ! Show me the button....I'll push it with my dick ! Monedas 2012 One pissed off clown !
DANGER: Light and back away! FLAME WITH LOUD REPORT! Emits showers of sparks. WARNING: Do Not Hold in Hand!
Melt the rocket and launch tower into tweezers so the Norko kids can pick USDA corn kernels from the pig shit ! Monedas 2012 Comedy Jihad Heartlfelt Humour
Seriously? The Unha 3? Like Un ha ha ha? The first two weren't funny enough? Well, North Korea, keep trying. And remember when it comes to nuclear annihilation, he who laughs last, laughs best.
I don't know if it's the impending launch or my bellicose musings.....but Au is higher ! Monedas 2012 Comedy Jihad Talking The Metals Higher
Looks like a bunch of empty oil barrels stacked upon each other with wings on it.
All those angel hair cat walks of the launch tower are curious ! The catwalks enabled them to apply enough plumber's butt crack spackle to blend the barrels in ! Monedas 2012 I haven't felt so alive since the Russians used opiate gas in the ventilation system to overtake those Chechen rebels !
There is not a small enough number to represent my caring what N. Korea does.
Have we really stopped the food aid....as threatened ? I doubt our own government will level with us ! The MSM language is not that clear on the matter ! I'll bet the food was being delivered before the deal was signed....as a liberal think compassionate enticement ! Monedas 2012 I drive a harder bargain when I tip rest room attendants !
Great leader's secret rocket fuel - kimchee.
Before I tried it I thought there could be no such thing as tasty pickled cabbage (sorry Klaus)
Kimchee.
It gives me 'gas' just to think about it.
How desparate would I have to be to eat rotten cabbage?
So they have progressed from 1940s tech to 1960s tech. If say they dropped one of their little nukes on Los Angeles it would wreck a neighborhood. It would take a bite out of the LA pizza but hardly destroy it. Can you imagine the response? North Korea would be simply - gone.
We know what LA getting nuked looks like.
The movie 'Terminator 2'.
I have nightmares thinking about that scene even now.
Dumb irrelevant question: When do trees leaf out in the sprint time in N. Korea? The trees in the photos are all leafless.
Those letters on the side; that's Korean for ACME.
I like how the launch structure has viewing platforms wings built built in so they can roast marshmellows at launch. ril Kim is illin.
That rocket looks so ronery on its own. So ronery. Maybe they should get another one and see if it will mate.
Guys don't worry about a thing. Kim Jong-un is doing me a favor delivering a package to one of my buddies. Going through customs and checkpoints is too tedious and expensive. As far as the April 15th date, Korea was founded well before your IRS tax date and Kim takes great offense being compared to that terrorist group.
P Diddy & Kim Jong-il Bomb Bomb Bomb
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UsS_GtajXM
"The Pentagon calculates that the missile, or deris from it could fall on <list of countries>. There could be casualties."
Especially if someone hits it with something, just at the right moment. Or even launches another missile, intended to crash into some highly newsworthy location, then says it was the Nth Korean rocket. How would we know?
Interesting that the photos and video of the other launch show no liquid fueling hoses or boiloff, and the exhaust smoke clouds are brown. This says that thing is probably solid fueled. Relatively simple tech. Also really small steering fins, for a solid fueled rocket. How does it control flightpath, I wonder?
Sometimes things don't go accoring to plan....
http://www.spacebuild.net/s1/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Misfire.jpg
I would not want to be on that submarine.