{{short description|North Korean expendable carrier rocket}} {{use dmy dates|date=June 2025}} {{about|the North Korean rocket|the given name|Eun-ha|other uses|Unha (disambiguation)}} {{Infobox rocket |name = Unha |image = North Korean Unha-3 rocket at launch pad.jpg |caption = Unha-3 at launch pad in April 2012 |function = Expendable carrier rocket |manufacturer = National Aerospace Development Administration |country-origin = North Korea |height = {{convert|28-30|m}}<ref name="b14643">{{cite web|url=https://www.b14643.eu/Spacerockets_1/Rest_World/Unha-3/Description/Frame.htm|title=Unha-3|first=Norbert|last=Brugge|website=b14643.eu|access-date=2025-01-11}}</ref> |diameter = {{convert|2.4|m}} |mass = {{convert|86,750-91,000|kg}} |stages = 3 |capacities = {{Infobox rocket/payload |location = LEO |kilos = {{cvt|200|kg}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://spaceflight101.com/status-of-north-korean-satellite-unknown-after-prolonged-radio-silence-reports-of-tumbling/|title=Status of North Korean Satellite unknown after prolonged Radio Silence, Reports of Tumbling |website=Spaceflight101|date=12 February 2016|access-date=30 December 2017|archive-date=12 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191112061955/http://spaceflight101.com/status-of-north-korean-satellite-unknown-after-prolonged-radio-silence-reports-of-tumbling/|url-status=dead}}</ref> (465 x 502 km) }} |status = Active |sites = Sohae, Tonghae |launches = 4 |success = 2 |fail = 2 |first=5 April 2009<ref name="GSP">{{cite web|url=http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau/unha.htm|title=Unha ("Taepodong-2")|first=Gunter|last=Krebs|work=Gunter's Space Page|access-date=19 April 2012}}</ref> |stagedata = {{Infobox Rocket/Stage |type = stage |stageno = First |engines = 4 Nodong 2-1<ref name="b14643"/><ref name=ucs-20130222/> |thrust = {{cvt|1192.8|kN|abbr=on}}<ref name="b14643"/><ref name=ucs-20130222/> |burntime = 120 seconds<ref name="b14643"/><ref name="Wright">{{cite web|url=http://www.ucsusa.org/assets/documents/nwgs/Wright-Analysis-of-NK-launcher-3-18-09.pdf|title=An Analysis of North Korea's Unha-2 Launch Vehicle|author=David Wright|publisher=Union of Concerned Scientists|date=March 20, 2009|access-date=January 23, 2013|archive-date=September 3, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140903184307/http://www.ucsusa.org/assets/documents/nwgs/Wright-Analysis-of-NK-launcher-3-18-09.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> |SI = 252 sec<ref name="b14643"/><ref name="Wright"/> |fuel = {{chem|N|2|O|4}}/UDMH<ref name="b14643"/><ref name=ucs-20130222/> |length = {{convert|15|m|abbr=on}} |diameter = {{convert|2.4|m|abbr=on}} }} {{Infobox Rocket/Stage |type = stage |stageno = Second |engines = 4 verniers<ref name=ucs-20130222/> |thrust = 125 kN<ref name="b14643"/> |SI = 255 s<ref name="Wright"/> |burntime = 220 seconds<ref name="Wright"/><ref name="b14643"/> |fuel = N<sub>2</sub>O<sub>4</sub>/UDMH<ref name=ucs-20130222/><ref name="b14643"/> |length = {{convert|8.8-9.3|m|abbr=on}} |diameter = {{convert|1.5|m|abbr=on}} }} {{Infobox Rocket/Stage |type = stage |stageno = Third |engines = 2 verniers<ref name="b14643"/><ref name=ucs-20130222/> |thrust = 35.4 kN<ref name="b14643"/> |SI = 230 sec<ref name="Wright"/> |burntime = 245 seconds<ref name="Wright"/> |fuel = N<sub>2</sub>O<sub>4</sub>/UDMH<ref name=ucs-20130222/> |length = {{convert|3.7-5.7|m|abbr=on}} |diameter = {{convert|1.2-1.25|m|abbr=on}} }} }} {{Infobox Korean name/auto |hangul = ^은하 |hanja = 銀河 }} The '''Unha'''{{efn|Also romanized from Korean script as '''Eunha''' under South Korea's Revised Romanization.}} ({{Korean|hangul=은하|lit=Galaxy|context=north}}) is a North Korean expendable carrier rocket, which partially utilizes the same delivery system as the Taepodong-2 orbital launch system.
== Description == thumb|Model of a Unha-3 rocket on display at the Three Revolutions Exhibition Hall The Unha's first stage consists of four clustered Nodong motors, which themselves are enlarged Scud motors. The second stage was initially thought to be based on the SS-N-6, although it, too, is now believed to be based on Scud technology. The third and last stage might be identical to the Iranian Safir's second stage which is propelled by two small gimballed motors.<ref name=ucs-20130222>{{cite web |url=https://blog.ucs.org/david-wright/markus-schillers-analysis-of-north-koreas-unha-3-launcher/ |title=Markus Schiller's Analysis of North Korea's Unha-3 Launcher |author=David Wright |publisher=Union of Concerned Scientists |date=22 February 2013 |access-date=2025-07-25 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|author1= David Wright |author2= Theodore A. Postol |url = https://thebulletin.org/2009/06/a-post-launch-examination-of-the-unha-2/|title = A post-launch examination of the Unha-2|date = 29 June 2009|website=Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists|access-date = 2025-07-25}}</ref>
Recent satellite images of the Sohae Satellite Launching Station showing an enlarged launch tower under construction have prompted online speculation that an enlarged version, called "Unha-X", might be under development.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.b14643.eu/Spacerockets_1/Rest_World/Unha-X/Description/Frame.htm|title=Unha-X|website=b14643.eu|access-date=2025-07-25}}</ref>
== History == ===First space launch attempt of North Korea=== {{Further information|Taepodong-1}} North Korea's first orbital space launch attempt occurred on 31 August 1998, and was unsuccessful. This launch attempt was performed by a Paektusan-1 rocket, which used a Hwasong-7-based first stage, a Hwasong-6-based second stage and a solid-fueled third stage. The Paektusan-1 was estimated to be about {{convert|24|m}} long, have a mass of about {{cvt|21000|kg|abbr=on}} and a first stage diameter of {{convert|1.25|m|ft|abbr=on}}.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://b14643.eu/Spacerockets_1/Rest_World/Paektusan-1/Description/Frame.htm|title=Paektusan-1|website=b14643.eu|access-date=2025-07-25}}</ref>
===Launch history of Unha=== ====First launch attempt==== On 24 February 2009, North Korea announced the plan to launch the Kwangmyŏngsŏng-2 satellite onboard the Unha-2 launch vehicle.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.kcna.co.jp/item/2009/200902/news24/20090224-06ee.html|title=Preparations for Launch of Experimental Communications Satellite in Full Gear|publisher=Korean Central News Agency|date=February 24, 2009|access-date=2025-07-25}}</ref> Later, North Korea confirmed that the launch would take place between 4–8 April 2009.<ref>{{Cite web|author=Jack Kim|editor=Paul Talt|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSTRE52C1NG20090313/|title=FACTBOX: North Korea's Taepodong-2 long-range missile|publisher=Reuters|date=13 March 2009|access-date=2025-07-25}}</ref> However, before the launch, several countries, including South Korea, the U.S., and Japan, voiced concerns that the launch would violate United Nations Security Council Resolution 1718 which prohibits North Korea from testing ballistic missiles.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/20090314/us-warns-nk-not-to-launch-rocket|title=US Warns NK Not to Launch Rocket|date=2009-03-14|publisher=The Korea Times|access-date=2025-07-25}}</ref> Russia also announced they urged North Korea to refrain from its planned rocket launch.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BNews/Asia/Story/A1Story20090327-131542.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090331142050/http://news.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BNews/Asia/Story/A1Story20090327-131542.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 31, 2009|title =Russia urges North Korea to refrain from rocket launch|publisher=Asiaone News|date=2009-03-27|access-date=2009-03-28}}</ref>
On 5 April 2009, the Unha-2 rocket was launched at around 02:30 a.m. UTC (11:30 a.m. local time) from the Tonghae Satellite Launching Ground (also known as Musudan-ri).<ref>{{cite news| url=https://daibieunhandan.vn/phan-ung-cua-cac-nuoc-ve-vu-phong-ve-tinh-cua-trieu-tien-10051997.html | work=Báo Đại biểu Nhân dân | title=Phản ứng của các nước về vụ phóng vệ tinh của Triều Tiên |trans-title= Countries react to North Korea's satellite launch | date=April 6, 2009 | access-date=2025-07-25|language=vi}}</ref> The U.S. Northern Command said that the first stage of the rocket fell into the Sea of Japan (East Sea of Korea), while the other rocket stages as well as the payload fell into the Pacific Ocean, and no object entered orbit.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.northcom.mil/Newsroom/News/Article/Article/563597/norad-and-usnorthcom-monitor-north-korean-launch/ | title=NORAD and USNORTHCOM monitor North Korean launch |website=United States Northern Command | date=April 5, 2009 | access-date=2025-07-25}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=North Korea Seeks Political Gain From Rocket Launch|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/07/world/asia/07korea.html?hpw|work=The New York Times|date=2009-04-06|access-date=2009-04-07 | first1=Choe | last1=Sang-Hun | first2=Helene | last2=Cooper | first3=David E. | last3=Sanger}}</ref> Later analysis indicated the rocket impacted {{convert|3850|km|abbr=on}} from the launch site, and that the second stage operated normally but the rocket's third stage failed to separate properly.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0904/10northkorea/|title=North Korean rocket flew further than earlier thought|author=Craig Covault|publisher=Spaceflight Now|date=10 April 2009|access-date=2009-04-17}}</ref> North Korea maintains that the rocket successfully put its payload in orbit.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.reuters.com/article/2009/04/05/idUSSEO88417/ | title=N.Korea says it successfully launched satellite |website=Reuters | date=April 5, 2009 | access-date=2025-07-25}}</ref> ====Second launch attempt==== On 13 April 2012, North Korea launched the Kwangmyŏngsŏng-3 satellite onboard an Unha-3 rocket from the Sohae Satellite Launching Station, but it ended in failure.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.space.com/15258-north-korea-rocket-launch-fails.html|title=North Korea Long-Range Rocket Launch Fails: Reports|website=Space.com|date=13 April 2012|access-date=2025-07-25}}</ref> ====Third launch attempt==== After the failure of the April 2012 launch, North Korea announced that the launch of the second version of the Kwangmyŏngsŏng-3 satellite would occur between 10 and 22 December 2012.<ref name="Aljazeera">{{cite news|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2012/12/1/north-korea-announces-rocket-launch-date|title=North Korea announces rocket launch date|publisher=Al-Jazeera|date=2012-12-01|access-date=2025-07-25}}</ref> Later, the launch window was extended to 29 December 2012, as the Unha-3 launch vehicle suffered a "technical deficiency".<ref>{{Cite web|author=Joshua Lipes|url=https://www.rfa.org/english/news/korea/delay-12102012141437.html|title=North Korea Delays Rocket Launch|date=2012-12-10|access-date=2025-07-25|website=Radio Free Asia}}</ref> The launch took place at 00:49 a.m. UTC, 12 December 2012, as an Unha-3 rocket was launched from Sohae.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.space.com/18867-north-korea-rocket-launch-satellite.html|title=North Korea Successfully Launches Satellite: Reports|website=Space.com|date=12 December 2012|access-date=2025-07-25}}</ref> The Japanese government believed the rocket separated into three parts, landed in the sea off the Korean Peninsula, the East China Sea and the Philippine Sea, respectively. North Korea claimed that the satellite successfully entered orbit, while according to North American Aerospace Defense Command, the rocket deployed an object that appears to have achieved orbit.<ref>{{Cite web|author1=Jethro Mullen|author2=Paul Armstrong|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2012/12/11/world/asia/north-korea-rocket-launch/index.html|title=North Korea carries out controversial rocket launch|website=CNN|date=12 December 2012|access-date=2025-07-25}}</ref>
After the launch, South Korean military retrieved debris from the launch vehicle, and confirmed that the militarized version of Unha-3 might have a range of over {{cvt|10000|km|abbr=on}} with a payload of {{cvt|500-600|kg|abbr=on}}.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2012-12-24|title=Tên lửa Triều Tiên có thể bắn tới Mỹ|trans-title=North Korean missile can be fired to the US|url=http://hungyentv.vn/93/14778/Quoc-te/Ten-lua-Trieu-Tien-co-the-ban-toi-My.htm|website=Hưng Yên TV|publisher=Hung Yen Newspaper, Radio and Television|access-date=2026-05-07|language=vi|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130102231328/http://hungyentv.vn/93/14778/Quoc-te/Ten-lua-Trieu-Tien-co-the-ban-toi-My.htm|archive-date=2013-01-02}}</ref>
====Fourth launch attempt==== In early-February 2016, North Korea announced that they would launch a satellite between 8 and 25 February 2016. Later, the launch window was revised to 7–14 February.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2016-02-06|title=Triều Tiên có thể đẩy sớm thời gian phóng vệ tinh?|trans-title=Could North Korea move up the satellite launch window?|url=https://gialaitv.vn/trieu-tien-co-the-day-som-thoi-gian-phong-ve-tinh/|access-date=2026-05-07|website=Gia Lai TV|publisher=Gia Lai Newspaper and Radio, Television|lang=vi}}</ref> On 7 February 2016, the first day of the revised launch window, North Korea launched another Unha rocket from Sohae. Officially dubbed ''Kwangmyongsong'', it was claimed to insert the Kwangmyŏngsŏng-4 satellite into orbit.<ref>{{Cite web|author1=Ralph Ellis|author2=K.J. Kwon|author3=Tiffany Ap|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2016/02/06/asia/north-korea-rocket-launch-window|title=U.S., other nations condemn North Korean launch of long-range rocket|website=CNN|date=7 February 2016|access-date=2025-07-25}}</ref> However, analysis suggests a significant shortfall in third-stage performance, leading to a lower than expected orbit.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20160622170119/http://www.zarya.info/Diaries/NKorea/Kwangmyongsong4.php</ref>
==List of launches== {| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;" ! style="background:#FFDECC;" width=10% | Official designation ! style="background:#FFDECC;" width=20% | Date ! style="background:#FFDECC;" width=10% | Launch site ! style="background:#FFDECC;" width=15% | Payload ! style="background:#FFDECC;" width=20% | Outcome |- | Unha-2 | align=center | 5 April 2009 | align=center | Tonghae | {{flagicon|North Korea}} Kwangmyŏngsŏng-2 | {{Failure}} |- | Unha-3 | align=center | 13 April 2012 | align=center | Sohae | {{flagicon|North Korea}} Kwangmyŏngsŏng-3 | {{Failure}} |- | Unha-3 | align=center | 12 December 2012 | align=center | Sohae | {{flagicon|North Korea}} Kwangmyŏngsŏng-3 Unit 2 | {{Success}} |- | Kwangmyŏngsŏng (Unha-3) | align=center | 7 February 2016 | align=center | Sohae | {{flagicon|North Korea}} Kwangmyŏngsŏng-4 | {{Success}} |}
==See also== * North Korean space program * Naro-1 * Simorgh * Chollima-1
==Notes== {{Notelist|group=efn}}
==References== {{reflist|30em}}
== External links == {{Wikinews|North Korea launches rocket}} {{Commons category|Unha (rocket)}} *{{cite web|url=http://www.ucsusa.org/assets/documents/nwgs/Wright-Analysis-of-NK-launcher-3-18-09.pdf|title=An Analysis of North Korea's Unha-2 Launch Vehicle|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140903184307/http://www.ucsusa.org/assets/documents/nwgs/Wright-Analysis-of-NK-launcher-3-18-09.pdf |archive-date=3 September 2014 |author=David Wright|date=20 March 2009}}. *{{cite web|author1=Robert S. Norris|author2= Hans M. Kristensen|url=http://thebulletin.metapress.com/content/hn1576020176wg02/fulltext.pdf|title=Nuclear Notebook: North Korea's nuclear program, 2005|website=Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists|date=May-June 2005}}
{{Expendable launch systems}} {{North Korean Space Program}}
Category:Space launch vehicles of North Korea Category:Expendable space launch systems Category:Vehicles introduced in 2009