The (North) Korean Committee for Space Technology said on March 28 that a satellite North Korea plans to launch into orbit by a rocket this month is an observatory satellite to take images of the Earth, weighs 100 kilograms and has a lifespan of two years.
If that launch is successful, North Korea will become the 10th member to join the “international space club.”
The space club refers to countries capable of sending objects carrying a satellite into orbit using their own launch vehicles. They are countries which have developed technology on satellites and rockets.
Nine countries have developed the capability to send objects into orbit using their own launch vehicles since the former Soviet Union blasted off the world’s first satellite, Sputnik-1, in 1957. They are the United States, Russian, France, Japan, China, Britain, India, Israel and Iran.
South Korea failed to launch of its Naro satellite into orbit on Aug. 25 2009. The second launch also failed within 137 seconds when it lost contact with ground control on June 10, 2010. The third launch is slated for October this year.