October 2, 2025, by Joseph S. Bermudez Jr., Victor Cha and Jennifer Jun—
Recent images of the Sohae Satellite Launching Station show indications of an engine test preparation and continued expansion of the facility.
May 28, 2024, by Joseph S. Bermudez Jr., Victor Cha and Jennifer Jun—
A recent failed launch attempt of another reconnaissance satellite by North Korea is a clear demonstration of the political importance assigned to launches by Kim Jong-un and his desire to meet the goal of launching three satellites in 2024... An April 29, 2024, image of the coastal launch pad at Sohae Satellite Launching Station,…
May 6, 2024, by Joseph S. Bermudez Jr., Victor Cha and Jennifer Jun—
Satellite imagery indicates that North Korea conducted an unannounced test of a liquid propellant rocket engine from the Yunsong vertical engine test facility during the fourth week of April 2024. Earlier in the month, several sources suggested that North Korea was preparing to conduct another satellite launch. While there were some indications that a launch attempt might occur within the month, it did not.
April 16, 2024, by Joseph S. Bermudez Jr., Victor Cha and Jennifer Jun—
North Korea has reportedly been preparing to launch its second reconnaissance satellite. Recent satellite imagery suggests that a launch was planned but canceled for unknown reasons... Coastal Launch Pad at the Sohae Satellite Launching Station, April 10, 2024. (Copyright © Airbus…
May 31, 2023, by Joseph S. Bermudez Jr., Victor Cha and Jennifer Jun—
Satellite imagery of the Sohae Satellite Launching Station taken five hours after the launch of North Korea's military reconnaissance satellite shows indications of the recent launch at the new coastal launch pad... This report was updated on June 1, 2023, to incorporate new information released by North…
May 30, 2023, by Joseph S. Bermudez Jr., Victor Cha and Jennifer Jun—
Latest imagery of the Sohae Satellite Launching Station show preparations underway for the launch of the country's first-ever reconnaissance satellite. .. Overview of the Original Launch Pad Area, May 30, 2023. (Copyright © 2023 by Planet).…
May 26, 2023, by Joseph S. Bermudez Jr., Victor Cha and Jennifer Jun—
Imagery of the Sohae Satellite Launching Station shows accelerated expansion and an unusual number of construction resources allocated to the station, indicating that North Korea is moving to develop, transport, and launch larger, more sophisticated SLV/missiles.
March 14, 2023, by Joseph S. Bermudez Jr., Victor Cha and Jennifer Jun—
Ongoing development at the Sohae Satellite Launching Station seen in recent satellite imagery show continued preparations to expand the facility's capabilities to host larger rocket launches... Left: Close-up view of the launch pad area. Right: Close-up view of the west excavation…
January 24, 2023, by Joseph S. Bermudez Jr., Victor Cha and Jennifer Jun—
Dramatic and ongoing construction progress continues throughout the eastern and central sections of the Sohae Satellite Launching Station, including new construction near the horizontal engine test stand... Dramatic and ongoing construction progress continues throughout the eastern and central sections of the Sohae…
December 15, 2022, by Joseph S. Bermudez Jr., Victor Cha and Jennifer Jun—
Latest commercial satellite images of the Sohae Satellite Launching Station show construction has entered a new phase, including the addition of a new horizontal engine test stand, further expanding the facility's future capabilities. .. This report was updated on December 16, 2022, to incorporate the details of the test…
