Danuri, the lunar probe developed by the Korea Aerospace Research Institute, is making significant strides in Korea’s space development. Launched in August last year, Danuri is currently orbiting the moon, rotating 12 times a day and located just 100 km away. Over the course of its mission, which will last for the next two years and four months, Danuri aims to identify potential lunar landing sites and conduct various scientific investigations using the data it collects.
According to the Korea Aerospace Research Institute, Danuri has successfully completed more than 2,600 orbits around the moon as of March 7. On March 24, it achieved a milestone of completing 1,000 lunar orbits, demonstrating Korea’s capability to operate and control spacecraft not only on the moon but also in deep space, including Mars.
An official from the Korea Aerospace Research Organization highlighted the significance of Danuri’s successful year-long navigation, stating that it showcases Korea’s ability to explore other planets and expand our knowledge of space through the collection and analysis of lunar data.
Danuri’s journey to the moon was not a direct route but rather a unique approach called Ballistic Lunar Transit (BLT). This trajectory, which takes 4 to 5 months, enabled Danuri to conserve energy by utilizing the gravitational forces of the earth, sun, and moon.
After entering the mission’s orbit, Danuri successfully captured high-resolution images of the far side of the moon in March, marking a remarkable achievement for Korea. Additionally, Danuri made history by transmitting video and photo data through the world’s first space internet.
Furthermore, Danuri symbolizes the partnership between Korea and the United States in space exploration. Out of the six scientific payloads carried by Danuri, one was reserved for NASA. NASA is utilizing the ShadowCam payload to explore potential lunar landing sites for the Artemis Program, a US-led mission to return to the moon, 50 years after the Apollo 17 moon landing.
Danuri is also equipped with five additional scientific payloads, including a Wide Field Polarization Camera (PolCam), a Space Internet Payload (DTNPL), a High-Resolution Camera (LUTI), a Magnetic Field Detector (KMAG), and a Ray Spectrometer Gamma (KGRS).
Throughout this year, Danuri will continue its missions, which include searching for lunar landing sites, conducting lunar science research, and testing space internet technology. By December 2025, Danuri aims to expand its filming area on the lunar surface and perform complementary observations using the magnetic field meter and gamma-ray spectrometer.
The Korea Aerospace Research Organization plans to release 3D topographic pictures of potential lunar landing sites, lunar surface element maps, and lunar radiation environment maps by December. Additionally, by 2026, they aim to establish a system that efficiently manages and analyzes data from space probes exploring the moon, Mars, and asteroids.
This progress made by Danuri marks a significant milestone in Korea’s space exploration efforts, contributing to the historic Artemis mission and paving the way for further advancements in space technology and scientific research.
Reporter Kim In-han, Money Today | 2023.08.07 14:06
Only about 100 km away from the moon, rotating 12 times a day
Data related to the moon collected with 6 scientific payloads, scientists analyze them
“It usually works for a year, which means we have the technology to explore other planets”
Danuri photographed Tsiolkovsky Crater on March 22 with a high-resolution camera (LUTI) developed by the Korea Aerospace Research Institute. / Photo = The Ministry of Science and ICT’s ‘Danuri’ lunar probe is rewriting the history of Korea’s space development. Danuri, which began its lunar exploration mission in August last year, is currently making 12 laps a day around a point only about 100 km away from the moon. For the next two years and four months, the research team plans to search for potential lunar landing sites and conduct various scientific investigations based on the data obtained through Danuri.
According to the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KAI) on the 7th, Danuri successfully orbited the moon more than 2,600 times from that day. On March 24, a total of 1,000 laps of the ‘moon revolution record’ was changed, and it is still operating as usual. This means that Korea has secured the ability to operate and control spacecraft not only on the moon but also in deep space such as Mars.
An official from the Korea Aerospace Research Organization said, “Danuri’s ability to navigate without problems for a year means that we have secured the technology to cross the moon and explore other planets on our own.” We are expanding the horizon of the knowledge space by collecting and analyzing lunar data.”
a Danuri moon probe. / Photo = Ministry of Science and ICT
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A new history of ‘developing the moon’… Approaching the Moon using the Ballistic Lunar Transit (BLT)
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Danuri was previously launched on the US SpaceX Falcon 9 space launch vehicle (rocket) in August last year. Instead of a direct route from the Earth to the Moon, Danuri chose the ‘Ballistic Lunar Transit (BLT)’, which takes 4 to 5 months. The BLT attracted attention from all over the world at the time of its launch as it could navigate with less energy by using the gravity of the earth, sun and moon.
After safely entering the mission’s orbit, Danuri tested its ability to stably observe the moon and send and receive data by photographing the far side of the moon for the first time in Korea in March. In addition, it accomplishes distinctive missions by successfully transmitting video and photo data through the world’s first space Internet.
Danuri also has meaning as a symbol of space cooperation with the United States. Danuri carried a total of six scientific payloads, one of which was reserved for NASA. NASA has loaded ShadowCam as a payload and is using it to explore potential lunar landing sites for the ‘Artemis Program’.
The Artemis mission is a US-led lunar landing plan that resumes 50 years after the Apollo 17 moon landing in 1972. It means that Korea is contributing to this historic mission. In addition, Danuri conducts various scientific missions with five payloads, △ Wide Field Polarization Camera (PolCam) △ Space Internet Payload (DTNPL) △ High Resolution Camera (LUTI) △ Magnetic Field Detector (KMAG) △ Ray Spectrometer Gamma (KGRS) .
By the end of this year, Danuri will carry out additional missions such as searching for lunar landing sites, lunar science research, and verifying space internet technology. In addition, by December 2025, the mission period, the lunar surface filming area will be expanded and an additional check will be carried out, such as carrying out complementary observations of the magnetic field meter and the gamma ray spectrometer.
The Korea Aerospace Research Organization plans to release 3D topographic pictures of possible lunar landing sites, lunar surface element maps, and lunar radiation environment maps in December. In addition, it plans to establish a system that efficiently manages and analyzes data from space probes such as the moon, Mars and asteroids by 2026.
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