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South Korean spacecraft launched to the moon, country’s 1st
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SEOUL, 06 August 2022, (TON): South Korea joined the stampede to the moon with the launch of a lunar orbiter that will scout out future landing spots.
The satellite launched by SpaceX is taking a long, roundabout path to conserve fuel and will arrive in December.
If successful, it will join spacecraft from the US and India already operating around the moon, and a Chinese rover exploring the moon’s far side.
India, Russia and Japan have new moon missions launching later this year or next, as do a slew of private companies in the US and elsewhere. And NASA is next up with the debut of its mega moon rocket in late August.
South Korea’s $180 million mission the country’s first step in lunar exploration features a boxy, solar-powered satellite designed to skim just 62 miles above the lunar surface.
Scientists expect to collect geologic and other data for at least a year from this low polar orbit.
It is South Korea’s second shot at space in six weeks.
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