South Korea’s Lunar Orbiter Sends Photos of Moon & Earth!
On Tuesday, the national space center announced that South Korea’s first lunar orbiter, Danuri, had sent black-and-white images of the Moon’s surface and Earth.
Danuri, a combination of the Korean words for “Moon” and “enjoy,” was sent into orbit around the Moon last month after being launched from the United States on a SpaceX rocket in August 2022.
The photographs, captured between December 24 and January 1, depict the lunar surface and Earth and were obtained from a distance of fewer than 120 kilometers (75 miles) above the Moon, according to a statement from the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI).
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The photos and videos would be “used to choose potential sites for a Moon landing in 2032.”
According to the center, Danuri circles the Moon every two hours.
The orbiter’s scientific mission will start next month, mapping and analyzing the lunar landscape and monitoring magnetic strength and gamma rays.
Sending pictures and movies to Earth will also test out the “space internet” technology that is still being developed.
Danuri’s accomplishments have been lauded as a “historical moment” in the nation’s space program by President Yoon Suk-yeol.
South Korea has ambitious plans for space travel, including the arrival of rovers on Mars and the Moon by 2045 and 2032, respectively.
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