According to a space expert based in the Netherlands, North Korea’s inaugural spy satellite appears to be operational and responsive.
A North Korean spy satellite launch – artistic impression.
This conclusion has been drawn based on observations through alterations in its orbit.
Despite the success in placing the Malligyong-1 satellite into orbit in November, the full extent of its capabilities remains undisclosed. North Korean state media asserted that the satellite captured images of significant military and political locations in South Korea, the United States, and other regions. However, no imagery has been released, and external radio trackers have not detected signals from the satellite.
“But now we can definitely say the satellite is alive,” wrote Marco Langbroek, a satellite expert at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, in a blog post.
From February 19-24, the satellite executed maneuvers to elevate its perigee, the lowest point in its orbit, from 488 km to 497 km, according to data from the U.S.–led Combined Space Operations Center, as cited by Langbroek. He emphasized, that the maneuver proves that Malligyong-1 is not dead, and that North Korea has control over the satellite – something that was disputed before.
South Korea’s Defence Ministry acknowledged that it had also assessed the satellite’s orbital presence but refrained from providing further details on specific analyses.
South Korean Defence Minister Shin Won-sik stated on Monday that the satellite displayed no indications of undertaking additional tasks or engaging in military reconnaissance. Langbroek commented on Shin’s remarks, saying, “While we indeed currently cannot be sure whether the satellite does successfully take imagery, it at least performs orbital maneuvers, so in that sense it is functional”.
The unexpected orbit-raising maneuver surprised observers, as the presence of an onboard propulsion system was not anticipated, and previous North Korean satellites had never demonstrated maneuvering capabilities. This capability implies that, as long as there is fuel in the satellite, North Korea has the potential to extend the satellite’s operational life by increasing its altitude to counteract orbital decay.
Despite international concerns, nuclear-armed North Korea has declared its intention to launch three additional spy satellites in 2024.
Written by Vytautas Valinskas