Historical eventDecember 122012

Kwangmyŏngsŏng-3 Unit 2

North Korea made its first successful satellite launch, as Kwangmyŏngsŏng-3 Unit 2 reached orbit.

In context

When
Wednesday, December 12 201214 years ago
Category
Historical eventA dated happening — a battle, treaty, launch, discovery, disaster or decision — recorded on this calendar day.
Era
21st century · 2010s
Recorded from
Wikipedia “On this day” feed

At a glance

Dates: From 2012.

What happened

North Korea made its first successful satellite launch, as Kwangmyŏngsŏng-3 Unit 2 reached orbit.

December 12 through the years

Other entries on the same calendar day, in order.

  1. 1985Arrow Air Flight 1285R
  2. 1988Clapham Junction rail crash
  3. 19991999 Luzon earthquake
  4. 2000Supreme Court of the United States
  5. 2001Prime Minister of Vietnam
  6. 2012North Korea
  7. 2012Kwangmyŏngsŏng-3 Unit 2
  8. 2015Paris Agreement
  9. 20212021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
  10. 2021Formula One
  11. 2024Grandmaster (chess)

Also in 2012

  • September 9ISROThe Indian space agency puts into orbit its heaviest foreign satellite yet, in a streak of 21 consecutive successful PSLV launches.
  • September 99 September 2012 Iraq attacksA wave of attacks kills more than 100 people and injure 350 others across Iraq.
  • September 11Central Intelligence AgencyThe American consulate and CIA annex in Libya were attacked by a heavily armed group, resulting in the deaths of U.S. ambassador J. Chris…
  • September 112012 Pakistan factory firesA total of 315 people are killed in two garment factory fires in Pakistan.
  • September 11BenghaziThe U.S. embassy in Benghazi, Libya is attacked, resulting in four deaths.
  • September 12Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky Air Flight 251 (2012)Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky Air Flight 251 crashes on approach to Palana Airport, killing 10 and injuring four.
  • September 52012 Afyonkarahisar arsenal explosionAn accidental explosion at a Turkish Army ammunition store in Afyon, western Turkey kills 25 soldiers and wounds four others.
  • November 17Manfalut train–bus collisionAt least 50 schoolchildren are killed in an accident at a railway crossing near Manfalut, Egypt.

Everything we record for 2012 →

Sources

Cite this page

“Kwangmyŏngsŏng-3 Unit 2”, What's On This Date, https://whatsonthisdate.com/app/event/kwangmy-ngs-ng-3-unit-2-2012-december-12, accessed October 25, 2026.

Cite the underlying source as well — the source links above go to the record this entry is adapted from.

Questions about this entry

When did Kwangmyŏngsŏng-3 Unit 2 happen?

December 12 2012 — 14 years ago, on a Wednesday.

Where does this text come from?

Wikipedia “On this day” feed. Summaries are short adaptations that link back to the source, not reprints.

How do I cite this page?

Use the ready-made citation near the sources at the bottom of the page, and follow the source link to cite the underlying record as well.

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