What is Danuri and what will they teach?
Originally known as the Korean Lunar Pathfinder Orbiter, the mission has now been named Danuri, a combination of the Korean words for “moon” and “to enjoy.” This will be South Korea’s first space mission beyond low Earth orbit.
Its scientific instruments include a magnetometer, a gamma-ray spectrometer, and three cameras. NASA has installed one camera, the ShadowCam, which is sensitive enough to capture the few photons that bounce off the ground into the moon’s permanently dark and shadowy craters. Located at the corners of the Moon, these craters remain eternally cold, below minus 300 degrees Fahrenheit, and contain water ice that has accumulated over time.
The ice could provide the frozen history of the Solar System’s 4.5 billion years, as well as a wealth of resources for future visiting astronauts. Ice can also be mined and melted to provide water, and it can be broken down into oxygen and hydrogen, providing air for astronauts and rocket engines for travelers who want to fly from the Moon to other destinations.
What else has South Korea done in space?
South Korea is developing its own missiles. the first plan Naro-1 successfully reached orbit on the third attemptSince then, the Korea Aerospace Research Institute—the South Korean equivalent of NASA—has focused its efforts on Nuri, a larger three-stage rocket. The Nouri’s second trip In June, he managed to put several satellites into orbit.
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