Taepo Dong/Unha (North Korea) Launch Vehicle History (1998-Present) Page 1 of 1: Including Failure List L(F) = Number of Launches(Number of Failures) Taepo Taepo Unha Hwasong Totals Dong 1 Dong 2 2/3 12 14 15 Year L(F) L(F) L(F) L(F) L(F) L(F) L(F) --------------------------------------------------------------- 1990 - - - - - - - 1991 - - - - - - - 1992 - - - - - - - 1993 - - - - - - - 1994 - - - - - - - 1995 - - - - - - - 1996 - - - - - - - 1997 - - - - - - - 1998 1(1) - - - - - 1(1) 1999 - - - - - - - 2000 - - - - - - - 2001 - - - - - - - 2002 - - - - - - - 2003 - - - - - - - 2004 - - - - - - - 2005 - - - - - - - 2006 - 1(1) - - - - 1(1) 2007 - - - - - - - 2008 - - - - - - - 2009 - - 1(1) - - - 1(1) 2010 - - - - - - - 2011 - - - - - - - 2012 - - 2(1) - - - 2(1) 2013 - - - - - - - 2014 - - - - - - - 2015 - - - - - - - 2016 - - 1(0) - - - 1(0) 2017 - - - 6(3) 2(0) 1(0) 9(3) 2018 - - - - - - - 2019 - - - - - - - 2020 - - - - - - - 2021 - - - - - - - 2022 - - - - - - - --------------------------------------------------------------- Taepo Taepo Unha Hwasong Totals Dong 1 Dong 2 2/3 12 14 15 Year L(F) L(F) L(F) L(F) L(F) L(F) L(F) --------------------------------------------------------------- Suborb - 1(1) - 6(3) 2(0) 1(0) 10(4) Orbit 1(1) - 4(2) - - - 5(3) Total 1(1) 1(1) 4(2) 6(3) 2(0) 1(0) 15(7) --------------------------------------------------------------- Footnotes: Taepo Dong 1 is a two-stage, Scud-derived IRBM with a third kick stage added for orbital attempt. First stage is an enlarged Scud named "No Dong". Second stage is likely a modified Scud. During initial flight, first stage landed 253 km and second stage 1646 km from launch site. Stage burn times were reported to be 95 sec, 144 sec, and 27 sec, respectively. Taepo Dong 2 is a three-stage ICBM that uses four No Dong engines to power the first stage. Upper stage design is uncertain. Unha 2/3 are names given to orbital attempt Taepo Dong 2 vehicles. Unha 2 flew in 2009. Unha 3 was identity of both vehicles that flew in 2012. First orbital success obtained by Unha 3 No. 2 during December 2012. VLS Orbital Launch Vehicle Comprehensive Launch/Failure List Date Vehicle ID Site Payload Failure Description Result# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 08/03/98 Taepo Dong 1 01 MU Kwangmyongsong Probable 3rd stg fail (2 stg IRBM) FTO 07/04/06 Taepo Dong 2 01 MU ICBM Test Failed about T+40 sec FSO 04/05/09 Unha 2 (TD-2) 02 MU Kwangmyongsong 2 Stg2 fell short of drop zone. FTO 04/12/12 Unha (Unha 3) 04 SO Kwangmyongsong 3 Failed around time of 1/2 staging [FTO] 12/12/12 Unha (Unha 3) 05 SO Kwangmyongsong 3F2 First orbital success LEO/S 02/07/16 Unha 3 06 SO Kwangmyongsong 4 Second orbital success, ~0.2t LEO --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Footnotes: # FTO: Failed to Orbit FSO*: Failed Suborbital (EEO): Unintended Eliptical Earth Orbit (GTO): Unintended Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (LEO): Unintended/Improper Low Earth Orbit "MU" = Musudan, North Korea "SO" - Sohae, North Korea Jonathan's Space Report Launch Vehicle Database "http://www.planet4589.org/space/lvdb/index.html" Encylopedia Astronautica "http://www.astronautix.com/" Gunter's Space Page "http://www.skyrocket.de/space" Last Update 12/28/2022 by Ed Kyle