(ANSA) - SÉOUL, AUG 05 - A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying South Korea's first lunar space probe took off from Cape Canaveral, in the United States, opening a new chapter in the country's space program.
The Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter, also known as Danuri, was launched at 7:08 pm (Florida time).
Danuri is expected to be released from the rocket approximately 40 minutes after takeoff at an altitude of 1,656 kilometers and travel on a pre-programmed low-energy, fuel-efficient ballistic lunar transfer (BLT) trajectory to the moon.
The trip to the moon is expected to last 4 and a half months.
The first communication between the probe and the station on Earth is expected approximately 1 hour after launch.
In the afternoon, the South Korean government will officially let it be known whether Danuri has successfully reached the intended trajectory.
The launch, originally scheduled for two days ago, was postponed due to a rocket maintenance problem.
Danuri marks South Korea's first space mission beyond Earth's orbit.
The mission's objective is to measure the terrain, magnetic forces, gamma rays and other details of the lunar surface using six onboard instruments.
The mission will last a year starting from the end of December, after a trip in the lunar orbit of 4 and a half months.
Danuri will also identify potential landing sites for future lunar emissions.
NASA has been deeply involved in the South Korean mission with KARI, with whom it has entered into an agreement to work together since December 2016. NASA has collaborated on the various stages of mission design and will provide access to the Antennas Deep Space Network agency worldwide for track the spacecraft.
(HANDLE).