Park Jae-hyuk is a seasoned journalist who has provided comprehensive coverage of South Korea's corporate dynamics, economic policies, industry challenges and the global positioning of Korean companies. Based on the articles he has written since joining The Korea Times in 2016, his investigative approach has helped readers understand corporate governance, economic trends and business strategies shaping South Korea’s economy.
Korea becomes 7th nation to explore moon
Minister of Science and ICT Lee Jong-ho tells President Yoon Suk-yeol about the Danuri lunar orbiter's successful settlement into the moon's orbit, during a briefing on the ministry's 2023 plan at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of presidential office
By Park Jae-hyuk
The Danuri lunar orbiter / Courtesy of Ministry of Science and ICT
Danuri successfully settles into lunar orbit earlier than expected
By Park Jae-hyuk
Korea's first domestically developed lunar orbiter successfully settled into the moon's orbit, enabling the country to step closer to its goal of becoming a global powerhouse in the space economy.
The Ministry of Science and ICT and the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) said Wednesday that the Danuri, also known as the Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter, was stably captured by the moon's gravity a day earlier to rotate 100 kilometers above its surface every two hours.
As a result, Korea became the seventh country in the world to explore the moon, following Russia, the U.S., Japan, the European Union, China and India.
“The Danuri, which left the earth 145 days ago, succeeded in entering the moon's orbit,” President Yoon Suk-yeol wrote on Facebook. “It is a historic moment telling the world of the excellence of Korea's space and science technology and marking a leap to one of the top seven space powers in the world.”
He also expressed his gratitude to researchers who were responsible for the development of the Danuri.
President Yoon Suk-yeol applauds as Minister of Science and ICT Lee Jong-ho declares the Danuri lunar orbiter's successful settlement into the moon's orbit at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap
Carried by SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket, the unmanned space vehicle was launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Aug. 5.
KARI had initially planned to conduct five lunar orbit insertion (LOI) maneuvers to decelerate the Danuri's speed from about 8,000 kilometers per hour to about 5,800 kilometers per hour.
The institute, however, successfully obtained the Danuri's flight data after the first LOI on Dec. 17 and verified the stability of the maneuver. It therefore decided to skip additional insertion maneuvers, making the orbiter enter the moon's orbit two days earlier than initially planned.
According to KARI, the Danuri will carry out scientific missions for about a year from February, following test operations in January. Its missions include finding a spacecraft's moon landing site, measuring the magnetic field and gamma rays and testing space-based internet communication.
“Based on scientific data to be sent from the Danuri, the government will launch a lunar landing module in 2032 by using a domestically developed space rocket,” First Vice Science Minister Oh Tae-seog said during a press conference. “We will also prepare for the exploration of Mars in 2045.”
First Vice Minister of Science and ICT Oh Tae-seog announces the Danuri lunar orbiter's successful settlement into the moon's orbit, during a press conference at the Government Complex Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap
On the day the success of the Danuri was announced, the science minister also briefed the president on the ministry's plans to support the nation's space industry in 2023.
In order for the Korean version of the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to start operations from the second half of next year, the government seeks to propose a bill to enact a special law regarding the establishment of a national aeronautics administration.
In addition, the government will create a 50-trillion-won ($39 billion) fund to give financial support to homegrown space startups. The science ministry will also collaborate with the private sector for the third launch of the Nuri space rocket during the first half of next year and for the development of a next-generation space launch vehicle.