South Korean quest for moon landing reverts with stunning lunar visuals

Black-and-white photos of the surfaces of Earth and Moon, captured by South Korea's Danuri lunar orbiter, are stoking the fascination of the world as it steps forward in 2023.

Danuri, meaning 'Moon' and Enjoy' in Korean, was launched by Elon Musk-led SpaceX's rocket last year in August and entered lunar orbit in December 2022.

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The images from Danuri, taken between December 24 and January 1, show the lunar surface and Earth, shot from less than 120 kilometers over the Moon, according to an official statement by the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI).

The statement added that the images and videos will be "used to select potential sites for a Moon landing in 2032".

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Danuri is reportedly circling the Moon every two hours.

Next month, the orbiter will start mapping and analysing the lunar terrain as well as measuring the magnetic strength of lunar surface. This will be the part of its scientific mission.

Test for 'space internet'

South Korea's Danuri space mission willalso test experimental "space internet" technology by transmitting photos and videos to Earth. Space internet, heralded by SpaceX under its Starlink network project, aimsto provide low-cost and reliable space-based Internet services to the world.

By transmitting photos and videos to Earth, the $180 million orbiter will send the data to be used forselection of potential sites for a South Korean moon landing in 2032.

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has hailed Danuri's achievements as a "historical moment" in the country's space program."It is a historic moment telling the world of the excellence of Korea's space and science technology and marking a leap to one of the top seven space powers in the world," President Yoon Suk-yeol said.

During the concluding days of 2022, South Korea became the seventh country in the world to explore the moon, following Russia, the United States, Japan, the European Union, China and India.

South Korea has laid out plans for outer space missions, including landing spacecraft on the Moon by 2032 and Mars by 2045.

(With inputs from agencies)

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