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China-Japan-Koreas
How Can Nork Rocket Debris Be Retrieved?
2012-03-20
The first stage of a North Korean three-stage rocket to be launched next month is expected to land around 140 km off the coast of Byeonsan in the West Sea, raising the question how it is to be retrieved. The first stage will likely separate at an altitude of 250 to 300 km
Lower than that, figure no more than 20 to 30 km at most...
and fall at a site around 450 km from the launch pad in Tongchang-ri, North Pyongan Province.

"The first stage will drop faster than the speed of sound, and most of it will burn up during the descent, but some debris could fall into the ocean," a government source here said. He added the South "would be able to gain detailed information about North Korea's long-range missile by analyzing the debris."

South Korean and U.S. officials believe the relatively shallow waters of the West Sea will make it easier to recover pieces of the first stage. The average depth of the West Sea is around 40 m and the South Korean and U.S. navies have the technology to locate and recover the debris there.

South Korea and the U.S. apparently plan to deploy spy satellites, high-tech surveillance aircraft and Aegis destroyers to pinpoint the location where the first stage will land. The South Korean Navy has two Aegis-class destroyers capable of tracking North Korean ballistic missiles from 1,000 km away. Torpedo search vessels equipped with the latest sonar equipment, as well as special navy divers will also be deployed to search for debris.

Some fear that the rocket could malfunction and crash into South Korean waters or on land. But experts say the North might will blow up the rocket if it strays off course, either with remote-controlled systems from Tongchang-ri or by using explosives mounted on the rocket.
Then the Norks might claim that the ROK or the US 'interfered' with the launch of their baby...
South Korea has only PAC-2 Patriot missiles whose capacity is too limited to shoot down long-range North Korean missiles or rockets.
We can fix that...
Posted by:Steve White

#4  FYI TOPIX > {ABS-CBN News] NORTH KOREAN ROCKET BOOSTER TO FALL EAST OF PH [Philippines].

versus

* SAME > {Nippon Defense Ministry] PATRIOT MISSLES [PAC-3's] MAY BE DEPLOYED TO OKINAWA TO COUNTER NORTH KOREAN ROCKET.

* SAME > NODA: NO DECISION [yet] TO SHOOT DOWN NORTH KOREA ROCKET.

* SAME > SOUTH KOREA: "ALL OPTIONS" ON TABLE TO STOP NORTH KOREA ROCKET/LAUNCH.
Posted by: JosephMendiola   2012-03-20 21:37  

#3  Howzabout heliborne assault into the bombed out rubble of the launch site?
Posted by: SteveS   2012-03-20 15:15  

#2  Skidmark - Chump outlawed mothballed that tool within the past few months.
Posted by: Water Modem   2012-03-20 12:12  

#1  Take pictures of the launch closer to shore.
Posted by: Skidmark   2012-03-20 09:19  

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