KCNA: Satellite Launch Failed due to Mid-air Explosion

North Korea’s state media said a rocket launched by the North to deploy its second military reconnaissance satellite exploded shortly after liftoff on Monday.

The Korean Central News Agency(KCNA) said on Tuesday that the North launched the Malligyong-1-1 satellite aboard a new rocket at the Sohae Satellite Launching Ground on the country’s northwest coast on Monday. 

But KCNA said the launch failed as the rocket blew up during a first-stage flight soon after liftoff, citing the unidentified vice general of the North’s National Aerospace Technology Administration(NATA) 

The report came about just 90 minutes after the launch, which took place at 10:44 p.m. Monday.

The KCNA quoted the NATA official as saying that a preliminary examination showed that the explosion was attributed to the reliability of operation of the newly developed liquid oxygen-petroleum engine. 

The administration reportedly said it will examine other possible causes of the failure as well.