--- title: "North Korea Launches Missile Into Space, Releases Photo of Earth" description: "Greetings from Space North Korea has reportedly test-fired several of its biggest missiles, sending back photos from space, reportedly taken by a camera installed on one of the missile’s warheads, The Guardian reports. It’s a worrying sign the nation may have indeed made good on its threats of developing intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) technologies capable […]" date: "2022-01-31" modified: "2022-01-31" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/north-korea-missile-space-photo" categories: - "Off-World" - "Space" tags: - "icbms" - "missiles" - "north korea" - "the digest" --- # North Korea Launches Missile Into Space, Releases Photo of Earth ![North Korea has reportedly test-fired several big missiles, sending back photos from space taken by a camera installed on one of the missile's warheads.]() *\Image: North Korean Central News Agency\* ## Greetings from Space North Korea has reportedly test-fired its biggest missile yet on Sunday, sending back photos from space, reportedly taken by a camera installed on the missile's warhead, [*The Guardian* reports](). It's a worrying sign the nation may have made good on its threats of developing intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) technologies capable of reaching the US territories in the Pacific. The state-run *North Korean Central News Agency* claimed on Monday that the country had launched an intermediate-range Hwasong-12 missile, a rocket capable of reaching the US island territory of Guam, in the most powerful missile the country has tested since 2017, according to *The Guardian*. Experts believe North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un may be trying to battle sanctions imposed on his nation and make it at least appear as though North Korea is a force to be reckoned with on an international scale. ![]() ## Testing Missiles The country has conducted seven missile launches in January alone — a record number, [according to the *BBC*]() — despite the UN officially placing a ban on testing nuclear weapons. The authenticity of the images taken by the warheads from space have yet to be independently verified, *The Guardian* notes. The South Korean and Japanese military, however, estimate that the missile may have reached a maximum altitude of over 1,200 miles. According to the *BBC*, it can travel as far as 2,485 miles. It's an awkward time for the test, given the fact that all eyes are on China — the nation's most prominent international ally — during the ongoing Winter Olympics. It's still unclear how or if the Biden Administration will react to the news, but the US isn't likely to budge from its position. Earlier this month, president Joe Biden [approved sanctions]() placed on North Korea following previous missile tests. **READ MORE:** [North Korea releases images it claims were taken from space during missile test]() \[*The Guardian*\] **More on North Korea:** *[North Korea: Squid Game Is Proof Capitalism Doesn’t Work]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()