Korea's lunar orbiter Danuri will observe before and after the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket's upper stage impacts the lunar surface.
The Korea AeroSpace Administration said on the 3rd that it plans to photograph the Falcon 9 impact site using Danuri's high-resolution camera and other instruments. The Falcon 9 rocket's upper stage is expected to crash near the Einstein crater on the moon at about 3:34 p.m. on the 5th. The expected impact time may vary somewhat depending on orbital tracking results.
The rocket's upper stage is about 4 tons and, after completing its mission, entered a trajectory to collide with the moon after orbiting around Earth and the moon. It is analyzed to hit the lunar surface at a speed of 2.43 km per second, and a new crater with a diameter of 20–30 meters is expected to form at the impact point, with lunar dust and debris possibly being ejected into the surroundings.
On the day of the impact, Danuri will adjust its orbit and pass over the expected site three times to secure pre- and post-impact footage. It will use together the high-resolution camera "LUTI," which takes detailed images of the lunar surface, and the wide-field polarimetric camera "PolCam."
LUTI will capture the crater formed by the impact and changes in the surrounding terrain, and PolCam will be used to observe changes in surface materials and dust distribution. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)'s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter also plans to image the area before and after the impact, making joint research to compare observations likely. Footage taken by Danuri will be released after analysis by related research institutions.
Oh Tae-seok, head of the Korea AeroSpace Administration, said, "This observation is an important opportunity to study lunar surface changes and impact mechanisms," adding, "through Danuri and international cooperative observations, we will strengthen capabilities in lunar exploration and space environment research, and we will continue to expand opportunities for international cooperation going forward."