South Korea aims to land spacecraft on the moon in 2032
Seoul, Nov 28 (EFE).- South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol said Monday that his country would land a spacecraft on the moon in 2032 to explore lunar resources as part of its ambitious “future space economy” roadmap.
South Korea also planned to land a spacecraft on mars in 2045, coinciding with the 100th anniversary of Liberation Day, Yoon told a meeting on the country’s space policies.
South Korea would be, “from now on, a country with a vision for space (that) can lead the global economy and solve the problems facing humanity,” Yoon said.
“The dream for a space power will … (be) an opportunity and hope for children and young people.”
The president said the country would develop an indigenous rocket within five years for its moon mission.
He spoke about six major policy areas, including promoting the space industry and the education of professionals.
The plan also includes establishing a national space agency similar to the NASA of the United States — one of Yoon’s campaign promises in the last national elections.
South Korea’s first lunar probe, the Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter (KPLO), successfully headed to its destination after launch in August, marking a milestone in the country’s space exploration program.
The spacecraft was successfully launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
The launch of Danuri, as the ship is called in Korean, was part of an agreement signed in 2016 between NASA and the Korea Aerospace Research Institute.
Danuri’s voyage to the moon includes scientific activities for nearly a year.
If Danuri succeeds, South Korea will join the club of nations that have carried out lunar landings and moon exploration missions.
The countries include the US, China, Japan, India, the European Union, and the former Soviet Union.
In June, South Korea successfully launched its Nuri space rocket, a significant step for the space industry as the country joined one of the 10 in the world capable of launching a satellite in orbit with home-developed technology. EFE
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