Where Will South Korea's Lunar Lander Touch Down in 2032? 29 Candidate Sites Analyzed

Nine Sites Reviewed for Soft-Landing Demonstrator, 20 for Resource-Exploration Lander
Lunar Surface Safety and Resource Distribution Assessed; Landing Site to Be Selected After Expert Consultation

Scientific and engineering analyses have been unveiled for 29 candidate landing sites for South Korea's lunar exploration spacecraft, which is targeting a 2032 landing. The final landing site will be selected after a comprehensive review of the lunar surface terrain and landing safety, as well as the potential to explore resources such as water and metals.

On October 30, the Korea Aerospace Administration (KASA) held a meeting titled "Discussion on Selecting a Landing Site for South Korea's Lunar Exploration Mission" at the fall conference of the Korean Society for Space Science and announced analysis results for nine candidate sites for a soft-landing demonstrator and 20 candidate sites for a lunar lander. The sites selected for analysis included areas considered at a public hearing in March to establish the lunar exploration mission, as well as areas of interest proposed by scientists.

Artist's rendering of a lunar lander. Courtesy of the Korea Aerospace Administration (KASA)

South Korea plans to carry out two lunar landing missions in 2032. The soft-landing demonstrator, scheduled for launch in the first half of the year, will validate technology for landing safely on the lunar surface and observe interactions between the space environment and the lunar surface. The lunar lander, scheduled for launch in the second half of the year, will explore resources on the lunar surface through a precision landing. Both missions aim to lay the groundwork for developing technologies to use lunar resources in the future.

The selection of candidate landing sites took both scientific value and landing safety into account. Even a site with high exploration value could pose constraints on an actual landing and mission operations if its terrain is rugged or communication with Earth is difficult.

The nine candidate sites for the soft-landing demonstrator are suitable for observing interactions between the lunar surface's magnetic field, the solar wind, and plasma, or for studying the Moon's electrical properties. Mare Frigoris in the Moon's northern hemisphere is a basalt plain with almost no magnetic anomalies, making it suitable for observing interactions between the solar wind and the lunar surface.

Scheiner Crater in the Moon's southern hemisphere is a magnetic anomaly region that has not yet been sufficiently explored, and could be used to study how the lunar surface's magnetic field interacts with plasma. The Lacus Mortis region was assessed as a candidate site where lava tubes and vertical geological structures can be observed, making it useful for research into the Moon's geological evolution and the environment for long-term crewed exploration.

Potential for Lunar Resource Exploration Also Assessed... Distribution of Water and Metals to Be Examined

There are 20 candidate sites for the lunar lander scheduled for launch in the second half of 2032. The analyses examined the chemical composition, mineral distribution, and geological characteristics of the lunar surface, and assessed the potential to explore volatile substances such as hydrogen and oxygen, as well as metal resources.

One prominent candidate site, Clavius Crater, is a large crater in the Moon's southern hemisphere, where the presence of water molecules has been confirmed in the surrounding area. It has drawn interest because it offers an opportunity to examine not only the Moon's early impact history but also the potential for water-related exploration.

Harpalus Crater lies at the boundary between the lunar maria and highlands, and is an area with relatively high concentrations of certain elements, including thorium (Th). Mare Humboldtianum is rich in iron and could be used to study the distribution of minerals on the lunar surface and the process of geological evolution.

The Lacus Mortis region is included among the candidate sites for both spacecraft. Its varied geological structures, including lava tubes, make it possible to study both the Moon's internal evolution and the potential for resource utilization.

KASA analyzed each candidate site's scientific value, as well as visibility of Earth and the Sun, surface slope, and the distribution of hazardous terrain. The amount of time Earth is visible affects the possibility of communication between the lander and ground stations, while access to sunlight is an important condition for the lander's power supply and mission operations. Surface slopes and the distribution of rocks and craters are also key factors in determining landing safety.

The 29 sites unveiled are candidate areas for analysis, not the final landing sites. KASA plans to proceed with the site selection process by considering the scientific and engineering analysis results alongside the views of experts from industry, academia, and research institutions. However, it did not disclose when the final landing site will be selected or the priority ranking of the candidate sites.

"The analysis and discussion of candidate lunar landing sites are a key part of ensuring the successful execution of the 2032 lunar lander mission," said Kang Gyeongin, director of the Space Science and Exploration Division at KASA. "We will continue to engage with relevant experts and do our utmost to select a landing site optimized for South Korea's lunar exploration mission based on scientific and engineering analyses."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.