Unha ("Taepodong-2")

Unha-2 (Kwangmyŏngsŏng 2) [KCTV]

Unha-3 (Kwangmyŏngsŏng 3-2) [KCTV]

Unha-9 (Model) [KCTV]

The Unha rocket, which bears the western codename Taepodong-2, is North Korea's second attempt to produce a long range missile. It is thought to be capable to reach the western areas of the United States or to place a small satellite into orbit.

The Unha is a three stage launch vehicle. The rocket uses storable liquid fuel. The first stage is a new design, which features four Nodong class engines with four steering engines and is 2.40 m in diameter. IIt uses Kerosene fuel and Inhibited Red Fuming Nitric Acid oxidizer as propellants. The second stage with a 1.5 m diameter features a Scud-class engine and uses also kerosene and nitric acid. The 1.2 m diameter third stage could be related to the second stage of the Iranian Safir rocket and uses UDMH and NTO as fuels.

The first launch (Unha-1 ?) was most likely a test flight of the missile configuration or a suborbital test flight.

A second launch attempt featuring a three stage rocket (Unha-2) was conducted in April 2009, but failed to orbit its payload.

A launch of an Unha-3 was conducted in April 2012, but failed to reach orbit. The rocket appears externally mostly identical to the Unha-2 rocket, but the third stage appears slightly stretched. A second flight of the Unha-3 was successfully conducted in December 2012. The third flight was of identical appearance, but was referred by the name Kwangmyŏngsŏng instead of Unha-3. It appears to have under performed.

A model of a Unha-9 was displayed in December 2012. This version appears to feature a stretched first stage.