Danuri, Korea's first lunar orbiter, successfully launches in Florida

SpaceX Falcon 9 launch vehicle takes off from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.[SCREEN CAPTURE]

A SpaceX Falcon 9 launch vehicle carrying Danuri, Korea’s first lunar orbiter, successfully blasted off from the launch pad at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 7:07 p.m. on Thursday, 8:07 Friday morning in Korea.

The Falcon 9 first-stage rocket, which has been used five times prior to the Friday launch, is carrying only the Danuri orbiter and no other satellite payload.

Danuri will separate from the rocket 40 minutes after the launch, 1,655 kilometers (1,028 miles) above Earth, and whether the orbiter reaches targeted orbit to reach the moon will be determined in about five to six hours.

BY SHIN HA-NEE [shin.hane@joongang.co.kr]