Malligyong-1[a] (Korean: 《만리경-1》호; lit. Telescope-1) is a type of North Koreanreconnaissance satellite. Designed for imaging surveillance capability of several countries, Malligyong-1 has been launched three times onboard Chollima-1 launch vehicle, the last of which, occurred on 21 November 2023, was successful.
Description
Malligyong-1 is North Korea's first spy satellite.[2] It is in a sun-synchronous orbit at about 500 kilometres (310 mi) altitude,[1] and will provide a global optical imaging surveillance capability of several countries.[3][4] Malligyong-1 is estimated to be 1.3 m (4 ft 3 in) long and have a mass of about 300 kg (660 lb).[5]
The resolution of the imaging capability is not generally known,[6][7][8][9] although a maximum resolution of 1 m (3 ft 3 in) is suggested.[5] According to Daily NK, it is lower than the resolution of Google's satellite imagery.[10] Daily NK also stated that the satellite used a Japanese camera, alleged to be not capable of providing meaningful military surveillance data.[10] According to South Korean news outlet The Dong-A Ilbo, Malligyong-1 also has South Korean components. It is possible that North Korea purchased South Korean electronic devices abroad to acquired these parts, or smuggling it from China.[11]
History
Reconnaissance satellite plans and component tests
At the 8th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea held in January 2021, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un stated that the design process of a military reconnaissance satellite had been completed.[12] During 2022, North Korea tested reconnaisance satellite components on 27 February, 5 March and 18 December.[13][14] While the first two tests were conducted using medium-range ballistic missile-class or Hwasong-17-based vehicles,[15] the December 2022 test used a Hwasong-7-based launcher.[16]
According to North Korean state media, on 18 April 2023, Kim Jong Un visited National Aerospace Development Administration and ordered the launch of Malligyong-1, then known as "the military reconnaissance satellite No. 1".[17] A month later, on 16 May 2023, Kim Jong Un and his daughter inspected the satellite.[18]
First attempt
The first launch attempt occurred on 31 May 2023. The second stage of the launch vehicle, Chollima-1, ignited too early into the mission, causing the mission to fail.[4] Evacuation alerts were issued in Seoul and Okinawa Prefecture.[19] The North Korean government quickly announced the launch failure.[20]
The remains crashed into the Yellow Sea[21] and South Korea attempted to salvage the remainder of the rocket, searching a site 200 kilometres (120 mi) off the coast of Eocheongdo. The South Korean Ministry of Defence released an image of a white cylinder, suspected to be a part of the rocket.[20]
A second launch attempt of the satellite took place on 23 August 2023, again onboard a Chollima-1 launch vehicle. The launch resulted again in a failure with the loss of the satellite, this time caused by an error in the emergency flight termination system during the third-stage flight.[23]
Third attempt
A third launch attempt was initially scheduled to take place in October 2023 but was later moved to November due to some delays in fixing the technical issues that caused the previous failures. The launch took place on 21 November 2023. The South Korean news agency Yonhap quoted its counterpart in the North, the Korean Central News Agency, as saying the satellite had been successfully inserted in the predetermined orbit, resulting in the first successful flight of the Chollima-1 launch vehicle.[24] However, no immediate independent observations could be made.[25] The probe has been confirmed to be in orbit, however, its status is not known.[26]
According to NATA, Kim Jong Un oversaw the launch.[25]
On 27 February 2024, South Korean Defense Minister, Shin Won-sik stated that there were no signs of Malligyong-1 being operational. He also noted the possibility of a satellite launch by North Korea in March 2024.[29]
According to Dutch astronomer Marco Langbroek, between 19 and 24 February 2024, Malligyong-1 had made orbital raising maneuvers to prolong time in orbit and to circularize its orbit, this has demonstrated that the satellite has on-board propulsion and is communicating with ground communication stations in North Korea.[30][31][32] Commands for orbit raising maneuvers were transmitted from North Korea.[33] Further orbital raising maneuvers were made from 3–7 June 2024, 6–10 September 2024 and 16–18 January 2025.[34][35][36]
Fourth attempt
A fourth launch attempt of a new satellite, called Malligyong-1-1 (《만리경-1-1》호; lit. Telescope-1-1), took place on 27 May 2024, onboard an unnamed new launch vehicle using liquid-oxygen and petroleum propellants. The launch resulted again in a failure with the loss of the satellite.[37] This designation may include an improved version of the original Malligyong-1 satellite.[1]
^ abRyu Mi-na; Kwak Min-seo (31 May 2023). 국정원 "北발사체, 무리한 경로변경에 기술적문제 발생 가능성" [National Intelligence Service: "North Korea's launch vehicle could have technical problems due to unreasonable changes in path"] (in Korean). Yonhap News Agency. Retrieved 24 July 2025.
^Shin Kyu-jin (25 November 2023). "N. Korea's Malligyong-1 reportedly incorporates smuggled components". The Dong-A Ilbo. Retrieved 13 July 2025. ...indicated the presence of key South Korean parts in the satellite. Experts speculate that North Korea acquired these components by purchasing South Korean electronic devices abroad or smuggling them from China, incorporating them into the development of its military reconnaissance satellites. The procurement of such parts for the manufacturing of spy satellites...
^Williams, Martyn (18 March 2022). "A North Korean Satellite Launch: What to Watch For". 38 North. Retrieved 15 July 2025. In January 2021, however, at the Eighth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea, Kim Jong Un disclosed that the design of a military reconnaissance satellite was complete, and the next step would be launching it.
^"[2보] 북한 "정찰위성 성공적 발사…궤도에 정확히 진입"" [[2nd step] North Korea “Successfully launched a reconnaissance satellite… entered the orbit accurately”]. Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). 21 November 2023. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
Launches are separated by dots ( • ), payloads by commas ( , ), multiple names for the same satellite by slashes ( / ). Crewed flights are underlined. Launch failures are marked with the † sign. Payloads deployed from other spacecraft are (enclosed in parentheses).
