Korea's First Lunar Probe Danuri Begins 140-Day Grand Journey (2nd Report)

Successful Launch at 8:08 AM on the 5th
Second Stage Ignition and Normal Flight Underway

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-su] South Korea's first lunar probe, Danuri, was launched into space on the morning of the 5th at 8:08 AM from SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket at Launch Pad 40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, USA.

Currently, the Falcon 9 rocket carrying Danuri is undergoing normal flight, with the first stage separating about 2 minutes and 34 seconds after launch, followed by ignition of the second stage engine 9 seconds later.

Danuri, housed in the payload fairing at the top of the Falcon 9 rocket, is scheduled to separate around 8:48 AM, approximately 40 minutes after launch. After separation, Danuri will navigate toward the Sun using its own propulsion along the pre-set trajectory known as the 'ballistic lunar transfer orbit.'

Danuri will first travel to the Lagrange Point 1, where Earth's and the Sun's gravity balance (about 1.56 million km away), then turn toward Earth to use Earth's gravity to approach the Moon. It will be captured by the Moon's gravity and enter lunar orbit. Around December 22, Danuri is expected to arrive in lunar orbit and, after several adjustments, will carry out its mission in a 100 km orbit above the Moon.

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