First spacecraft to the moon successfully launched by South Korea

 

SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, that is equipped with Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter, or KPLO launches from the launch complex 40 of the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Fla. on August 4, 2022. Photo credit: AP/John Rooux 

South Korea joined the stampede towards the moon Thursday night by launching the lunar orbiter, which will search for the next landing sites.

SpaceX's satellite launch is on the long, winding route to save fuel. It is expected to be launched in December 2022.

If it is successful, it will be joined by spacecraft from the US and India that are already operating on the moon as well as there is also a Chinese spacecraft searching for the moon's outer side.

India, Russia and Japan are launching new moon missions at the end of this year or early next along with a number of private businesses from the US and around the world. Additionally, NASA is coming up next with the launch of its giant moon rocket at the end of August.

The $180-million mission of South Korea – the first step of the country's involvement in lunar exploration - includes an imposing, solar-powered satellite that is designed to hover only about 62 miles (100 kilometers) over the moon's surface. Scientists hope to gather geological and other information for at least one year using this low polar orbit.

This is South Korea's second shot at space in just six weeks.

The month of June saw South Korea successfully launched the satellites to orbit Earth to the world's first time with the rocket it owns. The first attempt in the year was unsuccessful and the test satellite not being able to make it into the orbit.