The United States is closely monitoring North Korea as the communist nation prepares to launch a long-range Unha-3 rocket sometime between April 12 and April 16, according to Obama Administration officials. The North Koreans have said the Unha-3 would carry a polar-orbiting observation satellite into space to mark the 100th birthday of their late President Kim Il Sung on April 15. “This is very serious business when North Korea does something like this,” said Pentagon spokesman George Little. “We’re monitoring it closely. We understand the impact it could have on regional stability.” State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said North Korea would be violating UN Security Council Resolutions 1718 and 1874 that “clearly and unequivocally” prohibit North Korea from launching ballistic missiles. “Such a missile launch would pose a threat to regional security.” (AFPS report by Cheryl Pellerin) (See also Associated Press report.)
The Space Force awarded three contracts for rocket launches worth up to a combined $13.68 billion on April 4—and the usual players SpaceX and United Launch Alliance have got some competition in the form of newcomer Blue Origin.