North Korea: In Spaaaaaaace...

[Keab42]

I don't know if anybody has been following the international hoo-hah over North Korea's planned satellite launch, but this BBC article is fascinating: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-17684617

[sdhonda]

One step closer to... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZIgda01k6o

[Elomin Sha]

Look here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HlZ3QAbgAc

(REUTERS April 5, 2009) [KPRK-KCNA-News] Scientists and technicians of the DPRK (North Korea) have succeeded in putting satellite Kwangmyongsong-2, an experimental communications satellite, into orbit by means of carrier rocket Unha-2 under the state's long-term plan for the development of outer space.

Unha-2, which was launched at the Tonghae Satellite Launching Ground in Hwadae County, North Hamgyong Province at 11:20 (0220 GMT) on April 5, accurately put Kwangmyongsong-2 into its orbit at 11:29:02, nine minutes and two seconds after its launch.

The satellite is going round the earth along its elliptic orbit at the angle of inclination of 40.6 degrees at 490 km perigee and 1,426 km apogee. Its cycle is 104 minutes and 12 seconds.

It is sending to the earth the melodies of the immortal revolutionary songs 'Song of General Kim Il-sung' and 'Song of General Kim Jong-il' which were written by Kim Jong-Il, and commissioned to be interpreted electronically by world-reknowned Spanish composer Ego Plum. Plum's interpretation of these Korean Revolutionary Anthems were done in homage to Russian composer Vyachelsav Mescherin's own light-hearted renditions of the Soviet "Internationale," which were used in the 1959 launch of Sputnik 1, the world's first Earth-orbiting artificial satellite. The music can be listened to on a UHF channel at a wavelength of 470 megahertz and is being broadcast around the world.

A sample of Ego Plum's "Song of General Kim Jong-Il" is available on this page.

Traditional interpretations of "Song of General Kim Jong-Il" are available here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FugfEvcdW2k

The satellite is of decisive significance in promoting the scientific researches into the peaceful use of outer space and solving scientific and technological problems for the launch of practical satellites in the future.

[Bacon]

When can we expect pirate radio satellites?

Hopefully this is a step in a direction that makes countries less paranoid about each other and not some horrific orbital doom station that would probably interfere with LRRcasts. It would be nice if everyone joined together for a single space programme though, the ISS is a start so let us aim for Mars now and send Bear Grylls.

[leapy]

When can we expect pirate radio satellites?

Hopefully this is a step in a direction that makes countries less paranoid about each other and not some horrific orbital doom station that would probably interfere with LRRcasts. It would be nice if everyone joined together for a single space programme though,

Nice idea, never going to happen. There are going to be plenty of eyes on NK in the near future, though under the tubby son ( I forget his name off hand) the country seems to be opening up slightly.

That said, North Korea be CRAZY

the ISS is a start so let us aim for Mars now and send Bear Grylls.

Fuck yeh! as long as it's a one way trip. With limited oxygen.

[Smeghead]

And the rocket failed and crashed into the sea shortly after launch

[Elomin Sha]

It must be very humbling for North Korea to know that Top Gear can build and launch more successful rockets.

[Geoff_B]

Maybe James and Richard were brought in as consultants? Only there were no Robin Reliants to hand so they had to make do.

"Tonight, on Top Gear, James and Richard attempt to kick start North Korea's satellite program and inadvertantly bring about war with the west!"

[SilPho]

"Tonight, on Top Gear, James and Richard attempt to kick start North Korea's satellite program and inadvertantly bring about war with the west while wearing funny hats!"

FTFY

[gcninja]

The sad part is they probably killed the engineers and replaced them

[GaProgMan]

The sad part is they probably killed the engineers and replaced them

And if not, then they wont be engineers any more.

[Geoff_B]

The sad part is they probably killed the engineers and replaced them

Tonight, Richard and James are put up against a wall and shot!

[The_Doctor]

The ICBM's the KPA marched through Pyongyang were most likely (fairly obviously) fakes anyway. The DPRK's missile programs are decades and hundreds of millions of dollars they don't have away from being credible...

All of which makes me very sad, because I really wanted to see this