South Korea’s first lunar orbiter launched from the United States on Thursday on a yearlong mission to observe the moon, live video showed, with a payload that includes a new disruption-tolerant network to send data from space.
Danuri — an acronym for the Korean words for “moon” and “enjoy” — was carried on a Falcon 9 rocket launched from Cape Canaveral in Florida by Elon Musk’s aerospace company, SpaceX. It aims to reach the Moon by mid-December.
“Danuri is just the beginning, and if we are more determined and committed to developing technology for space travel, we can reach Mars, asteroids, etc. in the near future.”
One of the instruments will evaluate disruption-tolerant network-based space communications, which South Korea’s science ministry says is a world first.
The lunar orbiter will broadcast K-pop sensation BTS’ song “Dynamite” to test this wireless network.
“If this mission is successful, South Korea will become the seventh country in the world to launch an unmanned probe to the moon,” an official at the Korea Aerospace Research Institute told AFP.
In June, the country launched its first domestically developed space rocket, its second attempt after a failed launch last October.
In Asia, China, Japan and India have advanced space programs, and North Korea, the South’s nuclear-armed neighbor, was the most recent entry into the club of countries with satellite-launching capabilities.
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Originally published as South Korea launches first lunar orbiter