[Danuri Launch] Target Orbit Entry Confirmed... Thruster First Operation in Two Days (Comprehensive)

O Tae-seok, 1st Vice Minister of Science and ICT, Reveals at Press Conference on the Afternoon of the 5th

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-su] The Ministry of Science and ICT announced on the afternoon of the 5th that South Korea's first lunar probe, 'Danuri,' was successfully launched in the morning and entered the initially targeted lunar transfer orbit. 'Danuri Launch'

On the afternoon of the same day, Oh Tae-seok, the 1st Vice Minister of the Ministry of Science and ICT, held a press conference at the briefing room of the Sejong City government office and announced, "Danuri, which was launched at 8:08:48 a.m. today, successfully separated from the launch vehicle around 8:48 a.m. and entered the trajectory toward the Moon."

After separating at an altitude of about 700 km, Danuri is currently speeding toward the Sun at 10.15 km/s. Ninety-two minutes after launch, it also succeeded in communication with the mission operation center at the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) in Daejeon through NASA's deep space antenna located in Canberra, Australia.

Vice Minister Oh explained, "After checking Danuri's status, the solar panels have properly deployed and started power generation, communication among the onboard computer components is functioning correctly, and the temperatures of the components are normal, confirming that Danuri is operating normally."

Going forward, Danuri will operate its thrusters up to nine times to adjust its orbit and embark on a 140-day journey to the Moon. On the 7th, two days later, at 10 a.m., it will operate the thrusters for the first time to make detailed adjustments to precisely match the target orbit. On September 2nd, upon reaching the Lagrange Point 1 (approximately 1.56 million km), it will perform a maneuver to turn toward Earth. Later, at the end of December, when it arrives near the lunar orbit, it will operate the thrusters to be captured by the Moon's gravity, aiming to settle into a circular orbit 100 km above the lunar surface.

Vice Minister Oh said, "If all processes proceed smoothly, from January next year, various missions can be carried out using the six onboard payloads. The mission period is set for one year, but it can be extended depending on the remaining fuel amount."

Below is a Q&A with Vice Minister Oh.

- Why was communication with Danuri delayed?

▲ It is understood that the delay was due to the data communication process between the deep space antenna in Canberra, Australia, and South Korea.

- What are the economic effects of the space internet demonstration?

▲ It is still difficult to judge. This is an experiment to test protocols to ensure uninterrupted command delivery and file transfer between the Moon and deep space. It is too early to talk about economic effects. The focus is on achieving success first.

- What are the success criteria for the Danuri project?

▲ Unlike Nuriho, the criteria have not been precisely defined. However, there is a basic mission: successful entry into lunar orbit and successful exploration using the six payloads. We hope everything proceeds smoothly to achieve the originally intended results.

- What challenges remain?

▲ First, in two days, the thrusters will be operated normally to adjust the orbit. Up to nine thruster operations are possible, and among them, the maneuver on September 2nd to switch direction at the Lagrange Point while heading toward the Sun is important. After that, during the lunar orbit insertion and settling process, we must remain vigilant and monitor closely. Every moment is critical.

- You are planning lunar exploration using a Korean launch vehicle next. What significance does this experience have?

▲ The lunar lander mission is expected in 2031. The development of the next-generation launch vehicle after Nuriho must be successful. To launch the probe with a domestically developed launch vehicle, the schedule must proceed as planned. A preliminary feasibility study for the lunar lander development is also underway. If it proceeds smoothly, development will begin in 2024.

There are three major technologies gained from this Danuri launch. First, we secured orbit design technology to travel to the target in deep space. We will also acquire technology to control the probe at key milestones if successful. We have deep space communication capability as well. We are attempting this by installing a 35-meter diameter deep space antenna in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province, which will enable communication and control between the probe and Earth. This will be useful not only for the 2031 lunar landing but also for other space explorations.