[Column] Shooting for the moon

Kim Kyung-min

The author is a professor emeritus of political science and diplomacy at Hanyang University.

Space is in the news. We have our own milestones to be proud of. Danuri, also called the Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter (KPLO), on Jan. 3 beamed back images of Earth and the moon upon arriving in lunar orbit in Korea’s maiden moon journey, launched last August. On Dec. 30, the Korean military confirmed that it successfully tested a solid fuel-based rocket to place its first independent spy satellite into orbit.

In the space era, we must establish a solid foundation for space technology and make it part of the lives of future generations. To do so, we need to build up a basic philosophy on space.

Korea’s first lunar orbiter launched by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket can symbolize the Korea-U.S. space alliance. Its successful mission serves the interests of both countries. The U.S. needs more data on the lunar South Pole to build a base on the moon in the future. For the U.S., sending an additional orbiter to the moon would require lots of money. The U.S. was willing to participate when South Korea announced its moon ambition.

The collaboration proceeded well. Danuri has become the first win-win case in space cooperation between the two countries. The U.S. checked on Korea’s project by fixing the journey’s path many times. A NASA-funded instrument, ShadowCam, went onboard the KPLO to collect high-resolution images of the moon’s permanently shadowed regions to help future missions of NASA’s manned Artemis program. In return, South Korea gained access to communication with deep space.

The KPLO arrived in lunar orbit in mid-December after a longer-than-usual four months after its launch. Because it carried a weight of 670 kilograms (1,495 pounds), the spacecraft took a long but fuel-saving way instead of directly heading to the moon from Earth at the suggestion of U.S. scientists. South Korea must actively participate in future Artemis missions aimed at landing astronauts on the moon for exploration and construction of a landing site so that the country can build more experience in space development.

A solid-fuel rocket is another advance. An test on Dec. 30 scared the public scare because it wasn’t announced in advance. The Ministry of National Defense later confirmed that it was a test of a solid-fuel rocket for the ultimate goal of carrying a spy satellite into orbit.

The first home-made Nuri rocket used more expensive and complicated liquid fuel. Solid-fuel rockets are more advanced. Global powers discreetly test solid-fuel rockets.

China keeps its space development quiet. Dreaming of nuclear weapons and satellites, modern China’s founder Mao Zedong persuaded a number of Chinese scientists in Europe and the U.S. to return home, including Qian Sanqiang, dubbed the father of the Chinese atomic bomb. Thanks to the push, China envisions its first long-term space station as part of the Tiangong (Sky Palace) program. China successfully test-fired a 500-ton solid-fueled rocket in 2021.

Japan is a powerhouse in hydrogen-fueled rockets with H-2B rockets that can send 16-ton cargoes to the International Space Station. It also owns a solid-fuel rocket dubbed Epsilon capable of carrying a 1.2-ton payload. In short, Japan has the ability to fire an ICBM if it wishes. The country has become a space power through developments for allegedly “peaceful purposes” since a resolution passed the legislature in 1969.

South Korea’s rocket development was constrained under bilateral missile guidelines agreed to with the U.S. and first signed in 1979. The restrictions on payloads and flight range were incrementally upped through four revisions and were finally fully lifted in 2021 to pave the way for Korea’s solid-fuel rocket test. Missile sovereignty should be advanced quietly after considering international and geopolitical conditions. The latest news on Danuri and the solid-fuel rocket suggest it is wiser to proceed with space missions quietly than by beating our own drum noisily.

Translation by the Korea JoongAng Daily staff.