Aju Business Daily

SEOUL -- South Korea put off the planned 2020 launch of an unmanned lunar orbiter by 19 months due to technical limitations and a dispute among engineers over its design, weight and mission. SpaceX, a private US aerospace manufacturer and space transportation services company, was selected to carry the orbiter.

The lunar orbiter installed with six payloads including cameras, a gamma-ray spectrometer and space Internet test equipment, would travel around the moon for 12 months to observe topographical features, collect information on landing sites and conduct experiments to verify space Internet technology.

Under a revised program announced in February last year, South Korea was to send a 550-kilogram lunar orbiter in 2020. After a technical review by experts, however, the Ministry of Science and ICT came up with a new roadmap on Tuesday to send an orbiter by July 2022.

The total weight would increase from 550 kg to 678 kg, reflecting the opinions of researchers who have called for design change due to difficulties in making lightweight, Choi Won-ho, a science ministry official, told reporters. The ministry also changed the mission from a circular orbit for 12 months to the combination of an oval orbit for nine months and a circular orbit for three months to save fuel.

The original plan was based on a home-made launch vehicle, but South Korea had to change its mind due to slow progress in its space program.