For every small step North Korea’s space program has taken under Kim Jong Un, it’s often seemed to take a giant leap back. 

Despite a successful satellite launch in 2023, a catastrophic failure a year later left the country’s space-based reconnaissance program as one of the most glaring failures of Kim Jong Un’s five-year military plan.

But after two years of planning, the imminent Ninth Party Congress could now serve as a launchpad for the program’s resurgence, and even more ambitious initiatives powered by Russian support. 

Ultimately, Kim’s