South Korea’s First Orbital Mission to the Moon is on its Way

 

         South Korea's launched its first robotic mission to the moon last week

South Korea launched its first robotic mission to the moon last week, as the SpaceX Falcon 9 successfully launched the Danuri Lunar Pathfinder mission on August 4, 2022, from Florida's Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The spacecraft has been placed in a fuel-saving lunar transfer orbit and is expected to arrive in lunar orbit in December.

Translated, Danuri means "enjoying the moon".

 The mission will orbit the moon for about a year at an altitude of about 100 km above the surface, searching for possible landing sites for future missions, conducting scientific research on the lunar environment and testing space internet technology, South Korea's Ministry of Science and ICT said. claim. This mission will enable the country’s for small space program in future exploration as they expected to send a lander to the moon by 2030.

If it successfully enters lunar orbit, South Korea will become the seventh country to undertake lunar exploration. As the launch process decamped without a hitch, the Danuri will cruise through space for about four-and-a-half months before settling into lunar orbit in mid-December. The orbiter was developed by the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI), as well as in Korean research institutes and universities. The orbiter has weighs 678 kilograms and six instruments on board. The craft has six payloads, including a Korean-made device and a camera called ShadowCam, which was built in collaboration with NASA.

You can follow Danuri's trip to the moon on this KARI website.

The successful launch of Danuri follows South Korea's successful launch of satellites into orbit by its domestic Nuri rocket. This was a substantial step for the sprouting space program.

Science and ICT Minister Lee Jong-ho said "The Danuri, which has emerged from the Earth's full gravity and is heading to the moon, will be remembered as the first step in Korea's space exploration history. Thank you very much to the 59 government-run research institutions, universities and private companies that have developed the Danuri over a long period" 

Missile launches have long been a sensitive issue on the Korean Peninsula, where North Korea faces international sanctions over its nuclear-armed ballistic missile program. Earlier this year, North Korea called for an expansion of its space launch site to advance its own space ambitions after South Korea and the United States impeached it of testing a new intercontinental ballistic missile under the guise of a space launch.

As reported that South Korea space program is a peaceful program and only for scientific purpose and this technology will be used for country’s defense.

After the successful launch of Danuri’s South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol quoted in the Korea Times as saying, “Danuri is the pioneer of a country that will advance the era of space economy and make the country a natural resource powerhouse”.

Source: CNN, Google News