North Korea’s location problematic for rocket launch

Space.com : As North Korea prepares to launch a satellite sometime between tomorrow and Monday, numerous world leaders have voiced their concerns. The biggest worry is that the launch is a cover-up for a military missile launch. But the location of the launch also could lead to a number of technical problems. The launch site’s high latitude, 39.4 degrees north of the equator, could make it difficult to maneuver the satellite after liftoff into a geostationary orbit directly above the equator, where many communications and weather satellites are located. Also, the launch site’s proximity to several heavily populated countriesâmdash;including South Korea, China, and Japanâmdash;could be a safety issue in the event of an accident or crash landing. Unfortunately, the launching of satellites “is somewhat unregulated, with the onus placed on nations to act as good neighbors when launching spacecraft,” writes Clara Moskowitz for Space.com.