Danuri Mission Extended by Two More Years Until 2027
- Lunar Exploration Program Committee Confirms Extension of Danuri Mission -
The Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA, Administrator Yoon Youngbin) announced that it held the “Lunar Exploration Program Steering Committee” meeting at the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI) on February 10 and approved the proposal to extend the mission period of Korea’s first lunar orbiter Danuri by two additional years*, allowing the spacecraft to continue its mission through 2027.
* Danuri was launched in August 2022 and successfully completed its originally planned one-year lunar orbital mission. Its mission had already been extended once through December 2025.
The decision to extend the mission was made following consultations with the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI), instrument operating institutions, and participating scientists, along with analysis of the spacecraft’s remaining fuel and system condition.
During the extended mission, Danuri will first lower its orbit to 60 km for 7 months to maximize scientific output through closer lunar surface observations. It will then enter a frozen orbit*―a type of stable elliptical orbit with a low altitude of 60 km and a high altitude of 200 km―where it can operate until the end of 2027 without additional orbital maneuvers. In the final phase, the spacecraft will descend to an altitude simulating lunar landing conditions to test related technologies before intentionally impacting the lunar surface in March 2028.
* Frozen Orbit: A stable lunar orbit that takes advantage of the Moon’s gravitational characteristics, allowing long-term operations without the need for continuous orbital adjustments.
The 60 km low-altitude orbit is expected to provide more detailed scientific data by enabling closer observation of the lunar surface. The extended operation in frozen orbit will support long-term data collection and monitoring of permanently shadowed regions near the lunar poles, including temporal changes within those areas.
Meanwhile, cooperation with NASA, which provided ShadowCam* and supports tracking and communication, has also been extended through December 2028 via a revised implementing agreement.
* ShadowCam: A NASA-provided instrument aboard Danuri, designed to capture the world’s first optical images of the Moon’s permanently shadowed regions believed to contain water ice. Its data is also used to assess landing sites and support NASA’s Artemis rover missions.
Administrator Yoon stated, “By extending Danuri’s mission and adjusting its operational orbit, we aim to maximize the performance of each scientific instrument. This effort will also support both NASA’s Artemis program and Korea’s goal of launching a lunar lander by 2032.”