S. Korea's first lunar mission Danuri heads out to launch site in U.S.

[Source: Korea Aerospace Research Institute]

South Korea’s first lunar probe mission named Danuri Tuesday has headed out to its launch site in the United States to ready takeoff in August.

After being air lifted from Incheon to Orlando Airport, the lunar probe will be transferred to the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida on Thursday, according to the Ministry of Science and ICT.

Danuri is scheduled to blast off at 7:24 p.m. on Aug. 2 (local time) on a SpaceX Falcon rocket into Earth’s 300-kilometer orbit after inspection, fueling, and loading work.

After the launch, the Danuri team will cooperate with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to track a ballistic lunar transfer (BLT) to enter the moon’s 100-kilometer orbit by December.

The BLT has a longer travel distance compared to other trajectories, but it has the advantage of being able to save a significant amount of fuel as the probe moves using the gravity of Earth and the Sun.

Danuri will orbit 100 km above the moon 12 times a day for one year in 2023 to perform scientific missions such as identifying potential landing sites for future lunar missions, measuring magnetic fields and gamma rays, and verifying space internet technology.

South Korea will support NASA through polar imaging equipment installed on Danuri, while NASA will support the probe’s deep space communication and navigation.

If Danuri’s launch and missions are completed, South Korea will become the seventh country in the world to have carried out a successful lunar probe mission.

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