By Margareth Theresia
Video = Korea Aerospace Research Institute

The nation's first lunar orbiter Danuri on Dec. 27 entered its target orbit around the moon, making Korea the seventh country to achieve this feat after the U.S., Russia, European Union, Japan, China and India.

The Ministry of Science and ICT and Korea Aerospace Research Institute on Dec. 28 said they confirmed the craft's final successful entry into lunar orbit the day before at 6 p.m.

Since performing its third maneuver of lunar orbit insertion on Dec. 26, Danuri revolves around the moon every two hours at a speed of 1.62 km per second. The ministry said every device including the onboard computer and posture control sensors is seeing normal operations, adding that the orbiter has 93 kg of fuel left from its full tank of 260 kg, enough to continue its mission next year.

Thanks to Danuri successfully reaching lunar orbit, Korea has truly gained the ability to explore space through its development of an orbiter that can reach the moon. This has also set the foundation for further exploration of space through things like development of a lunar lander.

First Vice Minister of Science and ICT Oh Tae-Seog said, "As the seventh country to explore the moon, Korea took its first step in the history of space exploration," adding, "Over the next 10 years by 2032, we will keep raising the nation's space development capacity through projects like launching a lunar lander with a self-developed projectile."

Next year, Danuri will shift its position so that its payload faces the lunar surface for a yearlong exploration of the surface. The plan is to use images of the surface filmed by a high-resolution camera for use in selecting the most suitable spot for a moon landing in 2032. 

These photos of the moon revolving around Earth were taken daily between Sept. 15 and Oct. 15 by the nation's first lunar orbiter Danuri. (Ministry of Science and ICT)  

margareth@korea.kr