The report noted that the move to a solid-fuel propulsion system was one of North Korea’s greatest achievements, as it made satellites more difficult to observe. Normal fuel tanks take longer to fill, allowing satellites to detect launch preparations. In addition, liquid fuel rockets cannot be kept ready for launch for a long time after the tanks are full.
An analysis of North Korea’s rocket launches showed that it accounted for 13% of solid propellant rockets in 2016-2017, and this share has risen to over 70% thereafter. Pyongyang currently uses KN-23 and KN-24 missiles similar to those used by the United States and Russia.
In addition, North Korea has developed technology that allows missiles to maneuver in flight, making them harder to intercept. Until 2017, all rockets flew in a parabolic orbit, but after 2019, 40% of them began to move along a more complex trajectory, changing altitude during flight, and sometimes maneuvering left or right.
Source: Ferra
