How do you like this article?

  • Like Select

    Like

    0

  • Sad Select Select

    Sad

    0

  • Choose

    Angry Angry

    0

  • Well select

    Well

    0

Korea's first lunar probe, Danuri, succeeded in entering lunar orbit at dawn on the 19th.

Since reaching orbit last Saturday, the process for the actual mission has been going smoothly.

SBS reporter Seo Dong-gyun had an exclusive video interview with John Guidi, deputy director of NASA's Space Exploration System, and he evaluated Danuri's technology as world-class.



Q. How would you rate Danuri's journey?


A. It was a fantastic journey for us too.

NASA has worked with Korean researchers for over seven years.

I watched the process of things that had been limited to concepts until now reaching an agreement, being made into actual equipment, and leading to a successful launch last August.

Getting to the moon now is really fantastic, very exciting.



Q. You adopted the BLT method (ballistic transition method)?


A. The BLT method is a mission that requires a high degree of sophistication.

You have to balance between the gravitational forces of 3 different objects: Earth, Moon and Sun.

Also, it has to maintain a precise trajectory in all processes of launch and return.

Because it is so complicated, it goes through the process of correcting the trajectory in between.

However, Danuri only modified the trajectory half of the original plan.

I think this alone shows the excellent performance of the Korean technicians who performed the Danuri launch and attitude control.

Especially considering that this is the first time this mission has been carried out, it shows just how capable South Korea is.



Q. What do you pay attention to during the Danuri lunar exploration mission in the future?


A. NASA is focusing on the South Pole of the Moon.

Because there will be humanity's first mission on the moon.

There are currently lunar orbiters, but they are only reconnaissance satellites, and they have had only photographic information about the lunar south pole for decades.

The Danuri is equipped with cameras that can detect matrix images of the moon's polar regions, visible-light images, and images of regions that have been untouched by sunlight for billions of years and whose surface was unknown.

We want to go there, but we don't know if there are gas deposits or craters, or if it's slippery like an ice rink.

Therefore, we are looking forward to collecting data through Danuri's equipment.

I understand that the Artemis project team is planning to request the necessary images from the south pole of the moon from the Korean side.



Q. What is Danuri's role in Artemis Project?


A. We are particularly interested in selecting landing sites.

But as I said earlier, there are some videos, but they are not enough.

The more information like this, the better.

So, NASA is hoping to obtain information that can help select a landing site through Danuri.

It is also expected to observe the moon's permanent shadow area.

The results of those observations could be used to harvest a significant amount of water or minerals on the moon and build a permanent base on the lunar surface.

Danuri is the first lunar exploration mission conducted in the last 10 years.

So we're really looking forward to that information.



Q. Any advice on Korea's moon landing plan?


A. Hang Woo-Yeon's technology was very impressive.

The technical level of the researchers was high, and their motivation was great.

The only thing Korean researchers lacked was experience.

It was only his first mission for Da Nouri, and I think the Korean researchers will learn well from the lessons learned from NASA's development of the lunar module.

Landing on the moon isn't easy, with a success rate of only about 40%.

So I recommend experimenting with the landing system in every harsh environment possible to see how it reacts to foreseeable failures.

However, many repeated experiments are required.

NASA's Johnson Space Center has a motto like this.

'Training is like flight, flight is like training.'

I think this saying, which is good advice for us, will apply to anti-coincidence as well.



Q. The goal is to build a lunar base. Why is the moon important?


A. The moon is more than the closest place to Earth in space.

Resources usable by mankind can exist, and they have been a source of inspiration in ancient as well as modern societies.

As much as we are familiar with it, going to the moon was humanity's first step towards the solar system.

In that respect, we think the moon inspires us.

Going to the moon will also benefit the nations on Earth.

Going to the moon will mean more than just us going there, given the many things we're developing, including technology and medicine.



Q. Finally, a word about Danuri and Korea's plan to explore the moon?


A. Actually, I'm not sure NASA has any advice for anti-incidents.

The Korean technicians did an outstanding job.

In fact, while working on the Danuri project, Hangwooyeon taught us a little bit about engineering.

When I was designing a radiator to lower the heat, a Korean researcher gave me some advice.

'There's a better way, I'll do it like this and that'.

It really worked that way!

So I think that Anticoincident and NASA can learn together, and I think there are reasons for both sides to work together.

I think it will probably be very beneficial to both sides.

We hope that Hangwoon will work together with NASA in the future.



(Report: Seo Dong-gyun / Video coverage: Yun Hyung / Composition: Kim Do-gyun / Editing: Lee Hye-rim / Design: Park Soo-min / Production: D Contents Planning Department)