As 2024 draws to a close, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un appears highly unlikely to make good on his plans to launch three more military spy satellites this year, but according to one expert, that shouldn’t necessarily be interpreted as a failure.

In an interview with NK News, aerospace expert Markus Schiller pointed to several possible reasons why North Korea has only attempted one launch this year, starting with the country’s new approach to rocket power, while emphasizing that the space program has still made significant leaps despite serious constraints.