As reported by Ukrinform, Yonhap reports this with reference to the South Korean Ministry of Science and Information and Communication Technologies.

Danuri, also known as the Korean Pathfinder Moon Orbiter, was picked up by the moon’s gravity on Tuesday and began orbiting, according to the ministry.

The spacecraft managed to enter lunar orbit after completing three maneuvers since December 17.

Danuri was supposed to enter lunar orbit on Thursday after completing a total of five rounds of maneuvers, but it arrived at its destination earlier than planned.

After a 145-day journey from Earth, Danuri now orbits the Moon at 1.62 kilometers per second on a regular two-hour cycle.

The device has 93 kilograms of fuel left, which is enough to perform the task next year.

The spacecraft will use six instruments to measure terrain, magnetic field strength, gamma rays, and other features of the lunar surface during the year-long mission to begin in February.

The orbiter will also identify potential landing sites for future lunar missions.

As reported by Ukrinform, on June 21, South Korea successfully launched its first homemade launch vehicle “Nuriho” (KSLV-II).

Photo: “Yonhap”