Chollima-1

{{Infobox rocket

|manufacturer=National Aerospace Technology Administration

|stages=3

|height= {{cvt|36.2|m|abbr=on}}{{Cite web |last=Airoldi |first=Federico |date=2023-11-24 |title=North Korea: Successful Launch of the Malligyong-1 Reconnaissance Satellite|url=https://www.spacevoyaging.com/news/2023/11/24/north-korea-successful-launch-of-the-malligyong-1-reconnaissance-satellite|website=Space Voyaging|access-date=2025-04-08 |language=en-US}}

|diameter= {{cvt|2.4|m|abbr=on}}

|comparable={{flatlist|

}}

|status=Active

|launches=3

|sites=Sohae Satellite Launching Station, Coastal launch pad

|success=1

|fail=2

|first=30 May 2023

|last=21 November 2023

|function=Expendable carrier rocket

|image=|caption=Chollima-1 lifts off from the launch pad at Sohae Satellite Launching Station, 21 November 2023. |name=Chollima-1|payloads=Malligyong|family=Chŏllima}}

Chollima-1 ({{langx|ko|《천리마-1》형}}){{efn|Chollima-1 is named after Chollima, a Korean mythological horse and Chollima Movement, a North Korean Stakhanovite movement.}} is a North Korean launch vehicle. It will be used by North Korea to launch satellites into orbit. The rocket is launched from a coastal launch platform in the Sohae Satellite Launching Station. The rocket has been developed to compete with the South Korean Nuri rocket.

Description

File:Chollima-1.png

Chollima-1 is a three-stage rocket. This new rocket, based on images released by North Korea, appears to be a different launcher from those of the previous Unha family. It appears to be abandoning the Scud heritage and take a design based on the recent Hwasong-15 and 17 ICBMs with advanced rocket engines based on the suspiciously acquired Soviet RD-250.{{Cite web |lang=en |author=Colin Zwirko |title=Photos show new North Korean space rocket likely used ballistic missile engine |url=https://www.nknews.org/2023/06/north-korea-releases-first-space-launch-photos-revealing-use-of-new-launchpad/ |date=June 1, 2023 |website=NK News |access-date=June 1, 2023}}{{Cite web |lang=es |author=Daniel Marín |title=Lanzamiento fallido del primer cohete Chollima 1 norcoreano |url=https://danielmarin.naukas.com/2023/06/02/lanzamiento-fallido-del-primer-cohete-chollima-1-norcoreano/ |date=June 2, 2023 |website=danielmarin.naukas.com |access-date=June 6, 2023}} According to 38 North, the Chollima-1's first stage is based on the Hwasong-17.{{cite web |title=First Flight of North Korea's "Chollima-1" SLV Fails, but More Launches and More New SLVs Are Likely |publisher=38 North|author=Vann H. Van Diepen |date=June 7, 2023 |url=https://www.38north.org/2023/06/first-flight-of-north-koreas-chollima-1-slv-fails-but-more-launches-and-more-new-slvs-are-likely/|access-date=2025-03-22}} Although the capabilities of the launch vehicle are not public, Chollima-1 appears to be a medium-lift launch vehicle for launching small satellites into low Earth orbit, and the payload mass for its maiden flight was estimated to be around {{Convert|200|kg|lb}} to {{Convert|300|kg|lb}}.{{cite web|access-date=June 1, 2023|author=Josh Smith|date=June 1, 2023|language=en|title=New North Korean space rocket features engine from ICBMs, analysts say|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/new-north-korean-space-rocket-features-engine-icbms-analysts-say-2023-06-01/|website=Reuters}}

Similarly, analysts believe that if North Korea still manages to supply itself with foreign components despite the sanctions, it manages to increasingly master local construction, becoming autonomous.

History

On 30 May 2023, Chollima-1 made its first orbital launch attempt, from Sohae Satellite Launching Station, carrying the military reconnaissance satellite Malligyong-1.{{cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/world/north-korea-first-spy-satellite-launch-fails-8637856/|title=North Korea spy satellite launch fails as rocket falls into the sea|date=May 31, 2023|author=AP|website=The Indian Express|access-date=31 May 2023|archive-date=31 May 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230531020047/https://indianexpress.com/article/world/north-korea-first-spy-satellite-launch-fails-8637856/|url-status=live}} However, the launch failed to achieve orbit when the second stage ignited too early in the mission,{{Cite web |date=2023-05-31 |title=Why does North Korea want a spy satellite so badly, and what went wrong with its attempt to launch one? |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/north-korea-spy-satellite-malligyong-1-chollima-1/ |access-date=2023-06-01 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US |archive-date=2023-05-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230531214626/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/north-korea-spy-satellite-malligyong-1-chollima-1/ |url-status=live }} due to engine unreliability and fuel instability according to officials.{{cite web |lang=en |author=Park Si-soo |title=North Korea's spy satellite launch fails with second-stage malfunction |url=https://spacenews.com/north-koreas-spy-satellite-launch-fails-with-second-stage-malfunction/ |date=May 31, 2023 |website=SpaceNews |access-date=June 1, 2023}}. The launch vehicle crashed into the Yellow Sea.{{cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2023/05/30/asia/north-korea-south-korea-projectile-alert-intl-hnk/index.html|title=North Korea says satellite launch fails, plans to try again|date=May 31, 2023|author1=Yoonjung Seo|author2=Junko Ogura|author3=Brad Lendon|website=edition.cnn.com|access-date=31 May 2023|archive-date=31 May 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230531001458/https://edition.cnn.com/2023/05/30/asia/north-korea-south-korea-projectile-alert-intl-hnk/index.html|url-status=live}}

The South Korean Ministry of National Defense identified and recovered an object that appears to be a rocket stage or an interstage in the sea about {{Convert|200|km|mi}} west of Eocheong Island. This debris, identified as being the second stage of the launcher, nevertheless sank, complicating its recovery.{{cite web |lang=en |author=Jeongmin Kim |title=South Korea recovers rocket debris from North Korea's botched satellite launch |url=https://www.nknews.org/2023/06/south-korea-recovers-rocket-debris-from-north-koreas-botched-satellite-launch/ |date=June 16, 2023 |website=NK News |access-date=July 11, 2023}}{{Cite web |lang=fr |author=Yonhap |title=Des débris de la fusée nord-coréenne ont été repêchés durant la nuit |url=https://fr.yna.co.kr/view/MYH20230616007900884 |date=June 16, 2023 |website=Yonhap |access-date=July 11, 2023}}Photo of the rocket stage available on: {{Cite web |lang=en |author=Yonhap |title=Retrieval of sunken N. Korean space rocket wreckage |url=https://en.yna.co.kr/view/PYH20230616102900315 |date=June 16, 2023 |website=Yonhap |access-date=July 11, 2023}}Photo of the rocket stage available on: {{Cite web |lang=en |author=Associated Press |title=North Korea calls failed spy satellite launch 'the most serious' shortcoming |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/north-korea-spy-satellite-launch-serious-shortcoming-rcna89993 |date=June 19, 2023 |website=NBC News |access-date=July 11, 2023}} Other recovery operations followed for 36 days and made it possible to find the third stage of the launcher as well as the Malligyong-1 satellite, which were thus analyzed jointly with the United States, both to verify the origin of its components (and identify supply subsidiaries and foreign suppliers) and to assess the performance of the satellite, which was considered to be very low for military use.{{Cite web |lang=en |author=Song Sang-ho |title=(2nd LD) S. Korea retrieves N. Korean spy satellite wreckage, ends salvage operation: military |url=https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20230705001753325 |date=July 5, 2023 |website=Yonhap |access-date=July 11, 2023}}{{Cite web |lang=en |author1=Timothy W. Martin |author2= Dasl Yoon |title=North Korea's Failed Spy Satellite Wasn't Ready for Military Use, Seoul Analysis Shows |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/north-koreas-failed-spy-satellite-wasnt-ready-for-military-use-seoul-analysis-shows-703b0b83 |date=July 5, 2023 |website=The Wall Street Journal |access-date=July 11, 2023}}{{Cite web |lang=en |author=Shweta Sharma |title=South Korea reveals damning findings after first-ever capture of North Korean satellite |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/asia/east-asia/south-north-korea-satellite-rocket-b2369572.html |date=July 5, 2023 |website=The Independent |access-date=July 11, 2023}}

Although North Korea hardly ever communicates in advance about its missile tests, it does when it wants to launch satellites, to present itself as respectful space power.{{Cite web |lang=fr|author=Thomas Guien |title=Panique à Séoul, débris en mer... ce que l'on sait du lancement d'un satellite espion par la Corée du Nord |url=https://www.tf1info.fr/international/coree-du-nord-debris-en-mer-panique-a-seoul-ce-que-l-on-sait-du-lancement-rate-d-un-satellite-espion-2258861.html |date=May 31, 2023 |website=TF1 INFO |access-date=June 1, 2023}} The country had therefore warned Japan but not South Korea that it would carry out a space launch between 31 May and 11 June after having mentioned the finalization of the satellite a few weeks earlier.{{Cite web |lang=fr|author=AFP |title=La Corée du Nord confirme le lancement d'un satellite militaire espion |url=https://www.lemonde.fr/international/article/2023/05/30/la-coree-du-nord-confirme-le-lancement-d-un-satellite-militaire-espion_6175359_3210.html |date=May 30, 2023 |website=Le Monde |access-date=June 1, 2023}}{{Cite web |lang=fr|author=Thomas Romanacce |title=Corée du Nord : quelles sont les capacités du satellite espion que Kim Jong-un s'apprête à lancer ? |url=https://www.capital.fr/economie-politique/coree-du-nord-quelles-sont-les-capacites-du-satellite-espion-que-kim-jong-un-sapprete-a-lancer-1468822 |date=May 17, 2023 |website=Capital |access-date=June 1, 2023}}

However, despite the fears publicly expressed by these two countries of a possible disguised missile launch, South Korean maritime patrols were quickly set up in the fallout zones of the rocket stages, which allowed them to quickly recover debris.

However, missile alerts (sirens and SMS) were triggered in Seoul and Okinawa Prefecture by mistake.{{Cite web|lang=fr|author=AFP |title=La Corée du Nord annonce l'échec du lancement d'un satellite espion |url=https://www.lemonde.fr/international/article/2023/05/31/un-lancement-nord-coreen-met-brievement-le-japon-et-la-coree-du-sud-en-alerte_6175489_3210.html |date=May 31, 2023 |website=Le Monde |access-date=June 1, 2023}}

North Korea announced a second attempt to launch a new copy of Malligyong-1 for the end of August 2023, and revealed the fallout zones of the stages. The second launch attempt took place on 23 August 2023. The launch resulted again in a failure with the loss of the satellite, this time caused by an error in the emergency blasting system during the third-stage flight.{{cite web |date=24 August 2023 |title=KCNA Report on Accident in Second Launch of Military Reconnaissance Satellite |url=http://kcna.kp/en/article/q/ced17c79666e3aad1195adac0a9945f0.kcmsf |website=Korean Central News Agency |access-date=24 August 2023}} The country immediately announced a new attempt for October 2023. However, due to undisclosed technical delays the launch was later rescheduled for late November.{{cite web |url=https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20231103006300315?section=national/defense |title=Defense chief says N. Korea could launch spy satellite in late Nov. with Russian aid |date=3 November 2023 |access-date=4 November 2023 |work=Yonhap News Agency}} The third launch attempt took place on 21 November 2023 and resulted in the first successful launch of Chollima-1.{{cite web |url=https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20231122005351504?section=north-korea/ |title=[2보] 북한 "정찰위성 성공적 발사…궤도에 정확히 진입" |trans-title=[2nd step] North Korea “Successfully launched a reconnaissance satellite… entered the orbit accurately” |date=21 November 2023 |access-date=21 November 2023 |work=Yonhap News Agency |language=korean}}

Launch history

class="wikitable sortable" style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto; font-size:95%;"

|+References{{cite web |lang=en |author=Gunter Dirk Krebs |title=Chollima-1 |url=https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau/chollima-1.htm |date= |website=Gunter's Space Page |access-date=24 August 2023}}.

! style="text-align:center; background:#BBB" |Satellite

! style="text-align:center; background:#BBB" |Launch Date

(UTC)

! style="text-align:center; background:#BBB" |Launch Site

! style="text-align:center; background:#BBB" | Status

! style="text-align:center; background:#BBB" |Purpose

Malligyong-1 #1

|30 May 2023

|Sohae Satellite Launching Station

| {{eliminated|Launch failure}}

|Military reconnaissance satellite

Malligyong-1 #2