North Korea's satellite, which the Communist state launched sometime in 2012, has been circling the Earth every 95 minutes at an altitude of about 540 km (335 miles) for some time now. Though the satellite launch was lauded as one of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's greatest achievements, the orbit of the spacecraft has begun to decay, reports MSN News.
Since its launch, no signal has been detected from the Kwangmyongsong 3-2, or KMS 3-2 satellite, a crude-looking 100-kg (220-lb) device that North Korea claims is equipped with advanced cameras that is capable of taking satellite images and transmitting them back to Pyongyang, according to Reuters.
North Korean scientists, however, have continued to claim that the KSM 3-2 remains functional, though the scientists did admit that there are currently "problems with communication and data transmission."
With an important national celebration coming on Oct. 10, the North's space agency has stated last week that it is in the process of building a new, upgraded satellite that will incorporate pertinent advancements achieved by North Korea in recent years. They have also stated that the satellites will serve to improve the lives of North Korean citizens, reports CNN.
"The satellites we are going to launch imminently are Earth observation satellites. We believe those satellites will be of much benefit to the national economy in general and improving the people's living standards in particular," Kim Gun Song, a prominent North Korean scientist, stated in an interview with CNN.
North Korea maintains that its space program is peaceful in nature, and that any attempt to stop it by other countries is considered as a direct attack to its sovereignty.
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