Kwangmyngsng
Kwangmyongsong is the name given to a series of three suspected North Korean geostationary communication satellites. The name translates to "Bright Star" or "Shining Star" in Korean. The first satellite, Kwangmyongsong-1, was launched on August 31, 1998, by North Korea. The second, Kwangmyongsong-2, was launched on April 5, 2010. The third, Kwangmyongsong-3 Unit 1, was launched on April 13, 2012, and failed shortly after liftoff. A second attempt, Kwangmyongsong-3 Unit 2, was launched on December 12, 2012.
North Korea claims these satellites are for peaceful purposes, such as broadcasting and telecommunications. However, the
The success of these launches has been a subject of debate. While North Korea asserts that the