South Korea’s first-ever lunar orbiter Danuri sent black-and-white photos of the moon‘s surface and the earth, said the national space center on Tuesday.
Danuri – a portmanteau of the Korean words for “moon” and “enjoy” – was launched on a SpaceX rocket from the United States in August 2022 and entered lunar orbit last month.
Its images — taken between Dec. 24 and Jan. 1 — show the lunar surface and Earth, and were taken from less than 120 kilometers (75 miles) above the moon, according to the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI). said in a statement.
The images and videos will be “used to select potential sites for a moon landing in 2032,” she added.
Danuri orbits the moon every two hours, the center said.
The orbiter will begin its science mission next month, which will include mapping and analyzing the lunar terrain and measuring magnetic strength and gamma rays.
It will also test experimental “Space Internet” technology by transmitting photos and videos to Earth.
President Yoon Suk-yeol has hailed Danuri’s achievements as a “historic moment” in the country’s space program.
South Korea has set out ambitious plans for space, including landing spacecraft on the moon by 2032 and Mars until 2045.
