Black-and-white images of the Earth and Moon acquired by the South Korean Danuri lunar orbiter are stoking the world’s interest.
Danuri, which means “Moon” and “Enjoy” in Korean, was launched in August by Elon Musk’s SpaceX rocket and entered lunar orbit in December 2022.
According to an official release from the Korea Aerospace Research Institute, the photographs from Danuri, obtained between December 24 and January 1, show the lunar surface and Earth from less than 120 kilometers above the Moon (KARI).
The statement added that the images and videos will be “used to select potential sites for a Moon landing in 2032”.
Danuri is said to circle the Moon every two hours.
The orbiter will begin mapping and analyzing the lunar terrain, as well as detecting the magnetic strength of the lunar surface, next month. This is part of its scientific goal.
‘Space internet’ test by Danuri
South Korean space mission Danuri will also test experimental “space internet” equipment by sending photographs and movies back to Earth. Space internet, as envisioned by SpaceX’s Starlink network project, intends to supply the world with low-cost and dependable space-based Internet services.
The $180 million orbiter will relay data to Earth via sending photographs and movies, which will be used to select suitable sites for a South Korean lunar landing in 2032.
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has hailed Danuri’s achievements as a “historical moment” in the country’s space program. “It is a historic moment telling the world of the excellence of Korea’s space and science technology and marking a leap to one of the top seven space powers in the world,” President Yoon Suk-yeol said.
South Korea became the seventh country in the world to explore the moon in the final days of 2022, following Russia, the United States, Japan, the European Union, China, and India.
South Korean ambitions include landing spacecraft on the Moon by 2032 and Mars by 2045.