The Korea Aerospace Research Agency (KARI) announced on August 3 that South Korea's Danuri (KPLO) will observe the impact of the upper stage of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on the Moon's surface.
According to KARI, the Falcon 9 upper stage is expected to collide with the Moon near the Einstein crater on August 5 at 3:34 PM. Danuri plans to monitor the event before and after the impact.
The collision is anticipated to create a small impact crater measuring 20 to 30 meters in diameter, as the approximately 4.9-ton rocket stage descends at a speed of 2.43 kilometers per second.
Danuri will utilize its onboard high-resolution camera (LUIT) to capture images of the Moon's surface before and after the impact, which is expected to provide valuable data for studying surface changes and impact mechanisms.
On the day of the collision, Danuri will pass over the impact site three times to collect high-resolution images. In addition to LUIT, a polarization camera will also capture images of the collision area. The data collected by LUIT will be analyzed by relevant agencies and made available to the public once the analysis is complete.
Oh Tae-seok, head of KARI, stated, "This observation presents an important opportunity to study changes on the Moon's surface and impact mechanisms. Through Danuri and international collaborative observations, we aim to enhance our capabilities in lunar exploration and space environment research, and we will continue to expand opportunities for international cooperation in the future."
Meanwhile, Danuri is an unmanned lunar orbiter developed by KARI, launched on August 5, 2022. It is expected to continue its observational activities until 2027.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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