North Korean missile is new type of ICBM

North Korea appears to have succeeded in developing a missile capable of delivering a nuclear weapon anywhere in the U.S. and it could be only two or three tests away from being declared combat ready

HWASONG-15
Two-stage, liquid- fuelled intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM)
SPECIFICATIONS (estimated)
Length: 22.5m Diameter: 2.5m Mass: 40-50 tonnes Thrust at lift-off: 72 tonnes

First stage fuel tank Fuel and oxidiser spontaneously ignite on contact
First stage Two Soviet-era RD-250 engines

Second stage: Overall size suggests it contains 50% more propellant than Hwasong-14
Second stage Most likely powered by four small engines derived from Soviet R-27 missile
First stage oxidiser tank
Second stage oxidiser

Payload
Some experts believe Hwasong-15 can deliver 1,000-kg payload to any point on U.S. mainland

Missile thought to be large and powerful enough to carry simple decoys or other countermeasures to challenge U.S. missile defence system

New steering mechanism
Gimbaled thrust system allows engine’s exhaust nozzle to move from side to side to adjust missile’s course

Launch: Footage shows missile launching from platform, not from mobile launcher
Transporter erector launcher (TEL) Nine-axle modified version of Chinese lumber truck WS51200

Sources: 38 North, Union of Concerned Scientists, Michael Elleman © GRAPHIC NEWS