[AmericanInTokyo]

I think we are in total agreement here with the technicalities of this, that DPRK cannot disrupt or hit a Shuttle during the mission or its return--a nearly 0% possibility.

However, what they CAN do is time a transpacific launch of a Taepodong-2 at the same time the Shuttle returns, for PR effect--the same day, same hour, what not.

[Fudd]

I think we are in total agreement here with the technicalities of this, that DPRK cannot disrupt or hit a Shuttle during the mission or its return--a nearly 0% possibility.

NK has a good location to disrupt a shuttle landing. While the big-sky-small-plane theory minimizes the chances of a direct missile strike, the possibility still exists and should be addressed by NASA. Also, what if NK intentionally destroys a missile to "shotgun" the flight path of a shuttle? What if they decide to test their first nuke on a missile launched "close enough"?

Just how mad is NK's dictator?