South Korea‘s maiden lunar mission, the Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter, nicknamed Danuri, has delivered remarkable insights into the Moon’s far side and beyond, defying expectations, as reported at the American Geophysical Union meeting in San Francisco. Launched in August 2022, Danuri has been operational since December of the same year, studying the Moon and contributing to scientific advancements.
Key findings from Danuri include revelations from its gamma-ray spectrometer, detecting not only lunar surface emissions but also capturing the brightest burst of gamma rays ever observed—an enormous blast from a galaxy 1.9 billion light-years away. The spacecraft also measured gamma-ray bursts from distant stars and solar radiation spikes caused by solar storms.
Danuri’s ‘ShadowCam,’ a NASA camera, provided detailed views of craters near the Moon’s poles, previously inaccessible to sunlight. The observations led to enhanced understanding and interpretation of lunar features.
One of the most puzzling discoveries involves the measurement of magnetic fields on the Moon’s far side. Collaborating with two small NASA lunar satellites, Danuri detected a higher electrical conductivity on the far side than the near side, posing a mystery for scientists. The findings suggest potential variations in temperature or water content, but the exact cause remains unknown.
Despite some challenges, including slower-than-expected measurements from the primary polarized camera, Danuri has exceeded its one-year anticipated lifetime. The mission scientists express satisfaction with the spacecraft’s performance and anticipate potential extensions, provided it survives a solar eclipse in March 2025.
Danuri’s groundbreaking contributions are poised to deepen our understanding of lunar processes and set the stage for future lunar exploration and research.
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Reference: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-04005-2
