After decades of satellite surveillance by foreign governments and analysts, North Korea has sent its first spy satellite on a global orbit with a message to the world: we can watch you too.

  • Ghyste@sh.itjust.works
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    11 months ago

    I know others are commenting that the same views can be seen on publicly available satellite imagery, but that’s missing the point.

    The concern is that NK has reached a milestone in orbital rocketry and while a basic so-called spy satellite has taken beginner level photos, they have figured out how to put a payload into a solid orbit. That information works for ICBMs as much as it works for tinker toy payloads.

    • NuXCOM_90Percent@lemmy.zip
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      11 months ago

      ICBM are both an easier and harder task than putting satellites into orbit.

      Easier in that the math and fuel requirements are a lot easier if you don’t need a stable orbit so much as a trajectory.

      Harder in that your payload is likely considerably heavier if you want to make the ICBM worth the cost.

      To use video game terminology: the two are different branches of the same tech tree with a potential join for an endgame super weapon (rods from god)

      • Ghyste@sh.itjust.works
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        11 months ago

        It’s still a lot of the same math. A successful launch like this is a lot learned for all applications.

      • Scubus@sh.itjust.works
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        11 months ago

        If the game goes to k3 you eventually get rkms and instant death mode where your enemies martydom with a vacuum decay