Apr 25, 2009

AGI Makes North Korea Space Launch a Reality

This video courtsey of Analytical Graphics Inc. shows what North Korea's recent satellite launch attempt might have looked like.

Officials from the US and South Korean governments announced that the Kwangmyŏngsŏng-2 satellite failed to reach orbit, and this was later validated by an official statement by the Russian Space Control who could not detect the clamined satellite in orbit. Russia however does intend to help North Korea launch future satellites according to this ITAR-TASS aritcle.

Well, too bad for North Korea, but in any case, thanks to Analytical Graphics, we have this great ring-side seat view of what the action would have looked like!


Note the first stage falling in the waters before Japan's land territories, and the second stage falling in the ocean long after passing Japanese territory. According to the wikipedia article the first stage impact point was within Japan's exclusive economic zone but outside its territorial waters.

It's a pity that in this verison we don't see one of those US missiles coming up to intercept it ;-)

The claimed North Korean satellite is absent from the United Nations Online Index of Objected Launched into Outer Space however North Korea did complete its accession to the Convention on the Registration of Objects Launched into Outer Space.

Apr 3, 2009

Asia Times Article - April 2009



The above image is an extract. The full article can be downloaded here.

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Apr 2, 2009

Control Your Car by iPod

Some of the latest tinkerings by Jon Oxer, a member of our parter Lunar Numbat...



It's all about synthesis of technologies. It's not hard to imagine how similar ideas can be applied to our Google Lunar X-PRIZE mission.


Apr 1, 2009

Why NASA's Budget Can't be Reduced

When 10,000 jobs are at stake, lawmakers start to listen. As reported in this article in Parabolic Arc, the big 5 space primes in America have ganged together to point out that NASA needs to accelerate its development of the next generation of space exploration vehicles, otherwise a lot of skilled labor will be forced to find work in other industries.

It is nice to see the specific reference to the Altair lunar lander in the plans that industry wants to start working on. Interestingly however, they don't refer to the Ares-1 launch vehicle which has recently suffered a 6 month delay.