US admits N. Korea missile to carry satellite

US defense officials have announced that North Korea's upcoming missile launch would probably carry a satellite rather than a warhead. 

The officials who spoke on condition of anonymity noted on Tuesday that a commercial satellite image of the Musudan-ri missile test site showed a Taepodong-2 missile with a bulb-shaped payload cover, consistent with a satellite payload, rather than a warhead. 

The image was posted on Sunday on the website of the Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) a Washington-based group devoted to informing the public on security issues including nuclear weapons. 

The bulb shape is similar to the nose cone standard for military and commercial satellite launches, concluded the officials - which included analysts at the US Air Force's National Air and Space Intelligence Center in Dayton, Ohio. 

"They probably are launching a satellite. But the issue is that the steps they're going through to do that run parallel to them being able to have other capabilities," senior ISIS analyst Paul Brannan said. 

The United States, South Korea, and Japan have accused the North of testing a long-range missile, the Taepodong-2 -- capable of reaching Alaska. 

This is while Pyongyang announced that it would launch satellite Kwangmyongsong-2 into orbit as part of its space program between April 4 and 8.