North Korea’s unsuccessful satellite launch on Tuesday likely involved a new rocket that uses a safer fuel, experts say, as the country advances its rocket technology with Russian assistance.
The state-run Korean Central News Agency reported that the latest launch involved a “new-type satellite carrier rocket,” without specifying a model.
North Korea’s last three satellite launches conducted in 2023 used the Chollima-1 rocket. Two of them failed after completing the first stage of their flight, while a third is believed to have successfully put a satellite into orbit.
Tuesday’s rocket failed during the first stage, with debris falling into the Yellow Sea just two minutes after the launch was detected, according to the South Korean military.
The latest rocket’s engine ran on a newly developed engine that burns liquid oxygen and a petroleum fuel, KCNA reported. Hong Min, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification in Seoul, believes petroleum here refers to kerosene — a propellant widely used in American and Russian rockets, including the SpaceX Falcon.
The use of kerosene represents a departure from the Chollima-1, which several South Korean experts believe was equipped with a Paektusan engine. That engine, also used in North Korea’s ballistic missile tests, is believed to run on a hydrazine-based fuel instead.
“Many rockets used hydrazine in the past,” Hong said. “But it is highly toxic and killed or injured people during the fueling process, which led to a shift to safer kerosene.”
“Developing a new rocket takes at least two to three years,” said Chang Young-keun, a professor at Korea Aerospace University. “North Korea likely acquired this engine from Russia and conducted several test firings prior to the launch.”
“The United Nations Security Council restricted shipments of kerosene and other petroleum products to North Korea in part to prevent this from happening,” according to Katsuhisa Furukawa, who served on a United Nations expert panel on North Korea sanctions.
But “North Korean oil tankers have frequently been docking in Russia, undermining sanctions,” he added.
KCNA did not mention when North Korea might attempt another launch. “It will likely take a significant amount of time,” said a source at the South Korean Defense Ministry.
Russian President Vladimir Putin promised support for Pyongyang’s satellite program in a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in September 2023. Russia could provide technological support to help the North improve its new engine.
Tuesday’s launch came on the heels of a trilateral summit that day among China, South Korea and Japan in Seoul. Some experts believe North Korea waited until Chinese Premier Li Qiang left South Korea before firing the rocket.
The South Korean military has highlighted its cooperation with the U.S. and Japan following the launch. It announced that Aegis-equipped ships from the three countries were deployed in the area and shared information, and also published footage captured by a South Korean security vessel of the rocket exploding.
