This could be a really good post with a lot of depth, but I am busy. However, Josh’s productivity is making me feel guilty enough to post something brief.

First, though, a thank-you to Nathan Hodge who was kind enough to mention me a little while back. As he noted, I took issue with one phrase in his original post: “once you have mastered satellite launch, you’ve pretty much figured out how to build an ICBM.”

I told him that mastering a satellite launch

helps with the “launch” part, but not the “re-enter the atmosphere and destroy the desired target” part.

This is simply because SLVs aren’t designed to do the “blow up a lot of shit” thing that ICBMs tend to be good for. If you can build such things, that is. It’s not easy – a fact that this piece in Yonhap discussed a few weeks ago.

I would also commend this OTA report.

Happy reading. And don’t even think about any unconscious motives behind your interest in missiles…

Josh adds: I’m not sure I’d call it “productivity,” exactly. And speaking for myself, at least, I’m still trying not to think too hard about my interest in SBX.

If you believe what’s been written about the Musudan IRBM, then the NKs have a big leg up on the re-entry vehicle problem already.