South Korea’s first lunar mission begins

South Korea’s first space probe, Danuri, took off Thursday, August 4, from Cape Canaveral, Florida (US), on a one-year mission, according to images broadcast live on the Internet. Carried by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, the Danuri orbiter (deflation Dwhich means “moon”, and My lightwhich means “have fun”) near the moon in mid-December.

In the launch video, Lee Sang-ryol, president of the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI), said, :

“This is a very important milestone in the history of Korean space exploration. Danuri is just the beginning. If we are more determined and committed to developing space travel technologies, we will be able to reach Mars, asteroids, etc. in the near future.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?

During the mission, Danuri will use six different instruments, including a super sensitive camera provided by NASA, which will be used specifically to study the lunar surface in order to identify landing sites for future missions. Danuri must also test, for the first time in the world according to the South Korean government, a new networked satellite communications system that is resistant to disturbances.

K-pop group BTS launches into space

The probe will also attempt to create a wireless Internet environment aimed at connecting satellites or exploration vehicles through space. This connection will be tested by flow the song dynamite From the cult K-pop group BTS.

According to South Korean scientists, Danuri – which took seven years to build and cost about 2 trillion won (1.5 billion euros) – will pave the way for more ambitious goals. South Korea plans to land a probe on the moon by 2030.

“If this mission is successful, South Korea will become the seventh country in the world to launch an unmanned probe to the moon”An official at the Cary Institute told AFP. “This is a pivotal moment for South Korea’s space development program, and we hope to continue to contribute to the global understanding of the Moon with what Danuri will discover.”he added.

In June, South Korea successfully launched its first domestically designed space rocket, which put several satellites into orbit, after a failure in October 2021.