South Korea has joined the list of counties with moon missions after launching its first moon mission with a SpaceX rocket. The country aims to land a probe or rover on the moon by 2030.
The Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter (KPLO), nicknamed Danuri, meaning "enjoy the Moon", was launched on SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket from Florida's Cape Canaveral US Space Force Station at 8:08 a.m. on Friday, South Korea's science ministry said.
Also read: Elon Musk says SpaceX will protect space station after Russia threatens to let it crashWatch Falcon 9 launch KPLO to orbit → https://t.co/ypqkncgNO9 https://t.co/xVSjw5a0TK
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) August 4, 2022
If successful, Danuri will join US and Indian spacecraft orbiting the Moon and a Chinese rover exploring its far side. As South Korea's first step in lunar exploration, its $180 million mission features a boxy, solar-powered satellite that will skim just 100 km above the Moon's surface.
Scientists expect to collect geologic and other data from this low polar orbit for at least a year. It is South Korea's second shot at space in six weeks.
Deployment of KPLO confirmed pic.twitter.com/ctco6Qsmdi
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) August 4, 2022
For the first time, South Korea successfully launched a package of satellites into orbit around Earth using its rocket in June. The first try last fall fizzled, with the test satellite failing to reach orbit.
South Korea joined the NASA-led coalition earlier in May to explore the moon with astronauts over the coming years and decades. The first launch in NASA's Artemis programme is scheduled for the end of this month.
The goal of this is to have a crew set to climb aboard in two years after sending an empty crew capsule around the moon.
(With inputs from Reuters)
(Edited by : Nishtha Pandey)
First Published: Aug 5, 2022 8:51 AM IST
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