| July 6th, 2006 8:07PM California TimeIs North | | | | sure what sort of fuel they're using.'The United |
| Korea actually able to threaten the United States | | | | States has insisted since last week that, at the |
| mainland with Nuclear Warheads?Of course not, | | | | very least, intelligence is fairly certain the reclusive |
| but it makes a great headline. In fact, in | | | | communist regime has taken steps to ready a |
| researching this article I found that every headline | | | | launch of a long-range missile, most likely a |
| read similarly. The content of each article did not | | | | Taepodong-2 with an estimated range of up to |
| answer these questions with the 'YES!' that the | | | | 9,300 miles. |
| titles implied.First and foremost, the point:The | | | | Beyond that, it's all guesswork.' |
| United States of America cannot dictate to | | | | The Capability of North Korea to Manufacture |
| sovereign nations (in this case North Korea) on | | | | Nuclear Warheads Small Enough To Be Carried As |
| whether or not the nation is allowed to test | | | | Payload In A 'No-Dong' Type Missile: |
| Rockets.Why not? Well for one thing, we're | | | | 'The Japanese have publicly said they doubt it. |
| testing them ourselves constantly. The picture | | | | "At this point, we have encountered no |
| above shows the launch of a highly classified spy | | | | information that indicates North Korea has the |
| satellite known only as NROL-22, launched on | | | | technology," Senior Vice Foreign Minister Yasuhisa |
| behalf of the National Reconnaissance Office | | | | Shiozaki said this week.' |
| (NRO) | | | | we do know about Rockets is vast. The |
| image is of a Delta IV Rocket, in it's first stage | | | | technology is simple, and mostly a carry over |
| of ascent. Powers and I both watched this rocket | | | | from the work of Werner Von Braun. You can |
| launch, while speaking on the telephone. He from | | | | find myriad sites online instructing you on the |
| Los Angeles, and I from San Diego. The picture | | | | building of rockets, yes, even the ones that can |
| above was taken from Viejas Concert Park off | | | | go orbital. |
| Interstate 8 in California during a RadioHead | | | | Here is the Kid's Play version: |
| concert. It was taken by Paul Parks of San Diego, | | | | are not only an old technology, they are widely |
| Ca. An article on this, the first ever launch of a | | | | understood throughout the world. North Korea |
| Delta IV rocket from the West Coast of | | | | cannot be expected to be ignorant of the |
| America, can be found here: | | | | technology. Nor can any nation be expected to |
| is this important? The United States did virtually | | | | forego the benefits that Rockets can provide, |
| the exact same thing we just told another | | | | such as a Space Program, GPS, Weather |
| country not to do. In fact, we actually attached a | | | | Monitoring, etc.And after all of the saber rattling |
| payload to our missile. Why this is pertinent to this | | | | about 'The Big One', the missile that would kill us |
| discussion, is because the Delta IV failed upon it's | | | | all... |
| initial East Coast launch out of Florida. | | | | After all of the challenges to sovereignty and |
| United States is clearly still testing our capabilities. | | | | calls for pre-emptive strikes, what happened |
| Neither country claims their testing to be aimed at | | | | when North Korea finally conducted their test? |
| a military end. In fact, North Korea even offered | | | | Nothing.'About 35 seconds after the launch, |
| to abandon it's test launch in exchange for direct | | | | officials say the ICBM either failed outright or was |
| talks with the US on the subject. The talks were | | | | aborted by plan, reports CBS News |
| refused, and the launch followed. | | | | correspondent Wyatt Andrews. It did not reach |
| do we know about these Rockets? The example | | | | deep space and posed no danger to Japan or the |
| given herein, the Delta IV, is classified thus by it's | | | | U.S.' |
| creators:Delta IV Rocket Info from Boeing | | | | next time everyone gets all excited about a |
| Delta IV vehicles can launch payloads weighing | | | | 'threat' to the US, I want to see some |
| from 4,231 kg (9,327 lb) to 12,757 kg (28, 124 lb) | | | | evidence.No more Yellow Cake in a tube to justify |
| to geosynchronous transfer orbit, and can lift | | | | our very real White Phosporus. No more will we |
| over 23,000 kg (50,000 lbs.) to low-Earth orbit | | | | accept anything less than actual evidence before |
| (LEO) | | | | even thinking of discussing arms, as |
| Delta IV rockets can accommodate single or | | | | Americans.Yeah, I see a rocket. Yeah, I saw it |
| multiple payloads on the same mission and can | | | | launched. Big frickin deal. That is a normal |
| launch payloads to polar orbits, Sun-synchronous | | | | occurrence in Southern California. Where's the |
| orbits, geosynchronous and geosynchronous | | | | warhead? Where is the follow-up force? Where |
| transfer orbits, and low-Earth orbit. | | | | are the bombers? Where is the threat?The truth |
| amply demonstrates the rocket's ability both to | | | | is, North Korea is no threat to us. And there is no |
| carry nuclear warheads and to achieve strikes on | | | | evidence backing the claim that they are. The |
| globally based targets.What do we know about | | | | Press should be embarrassed for even posing the |
| North Korea's Rockets? | | | | question, one they could have answered |
| Well, sadly, not much. In fact, we're not even | | | | themselves with a little research. |