The road to space is not easy... Can companies other than Hanwha participate in the next-generation launch vehicle?

The Korean launch vehicle Nuriho is being launched. [Photo = Korea Aerospace Research Institute]



There has been a change in the development project for the next-generation launch vehicle that will play a role in sending our country's lunar lander. The National Space Committee held a meeting on the 25th and deliberated and approved the 'Next-generation launch vehicle development project plan change review'.



Hanwha Aerospace was selected as the system integration company for the development of the next-generation launch vehicle. The plan is to apply reusable launch vehicle technology to it. This is the core issue of the plan change. Reusable launch vehicle technology is not included in the contract for the next-generation launch vehicle system integration company.



In other words, it is noteworthy that the path has opened for other companies besides Hanwha to participate in



the development of the next-generation launch vehicle that applies reusable launch vehicle technology. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) operated a commercial space program when it opened the NewSpace era. It selected two companies, SpaceX and Boeing, and began competitive technology development. Boeing was eliminated, and SpaceX continued its monopoly.



It is drawing attention whether a competitive structure will be formed in the development of the next-generation launch vehicle in Korea as well. Of course, legal and contractual issues are likely to arise during this process.



Regarding this change in plan, Yoon Young-bin, head of the Korea Aerospace Research Institute, said, "I think Hanwha Aerospace, a next-generation launch vehicle system integration company, will agree to the change proposed by the Korea Aerospace Research Institute." Regarding



this, a Hanwha official explained, "There is no reason to oppose the application of reusable launch vehicle technology, as it is a global trend," and "However, when we get into the details, there are bound to be legal and contractual matters that need to be reviewed, so we will deal with them accordingly."



Regarding this, a key official of the Korea Aerospace Research Institute said, "As an expert-centered organization, the Korea Aerospace Research Institute will seek to promote policies in a swift and rational direction," and "In the case of the next-generation launch vehicle project, we will review changes to the existing business plan to enhance the competitiveness of national space transportation after the 2030s, initiate swift administrative procedures, and promote projects based on the results."



The reason the Korea Aerospace Research Institute decided to change the plan this time is because it judged that securing economic feasibility by applying reusable launch vehicle technology is the most important issue. It seems inevitable that the contract with Hanwha Aerospace will also be changed.



In addition to this agenda, the National Space Committee deliberated and decided on the following agenda items: △early commencement of development of reusable launch vehicles, △development of orbital transport ships, △development of ultra-high-resolution satellites (10m class), △establishment of the Lagrange 4 (L4) heliosphere space observatory, and △establishment of a space agency building in Sacheon, Gyeongsangnam-do.



The National Space Committee (Administrator Yoon Young-bin) held the 3rd National Space Committee on the 25th, chaired by Vice Chairman (Professor Bang Hyo-chung of the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology)



. The National Space Committee is the highest decision-making body on Korea's space policy. The chairman was promoted to the president along with the opening of the National Space Committee on May 27 last year. The meeting on this day was held under the chairmanship of the vice chairman in a situation where the president had been impeached.



Missions expected to play a key role in space development will be selected as 'brand projects' and intensively promoted.



The reusable launch vehicles and orbital transport ships in the space transportation sector, the ultra-high-resolution satellites, ultra-low orbit satellites, and multi-level orbit navigation systems in the satellite sector, and the L4 space observatory and lunar lander projects in the space science exploration sector were designated as brand projects.



The plan to improve the next-generation launch vehicle development project includes the content of promoting administrative procedures to review changes to the plan for the next-generation launch vehicle development project, which will be the nation's main space launch vehicle in the 2030s, in order to actively respond to



domestic and international technological environmental changes. The Aerospace Administration recently emphasized that it would develop an economical national space launch vehicle simultaneously with the self-launched lunar lander in 2032, considering the expansion of the space economy and the global changes in the technological environment in the space launch vehicle sector. It is initiating administrative procedures to review changes to the plan for this project.



The Aerospace Administration explained that it is also responding to changes in space policy due to the inauguration of the Donald Trump administration in the United States.



Commissioner Yoon Young-bin said, "While the previous U.S. administration focused on the Artemis project, including lunar exploration, Trump seems to be prioritizing Mars over the moon," and added, "Our country has a mid- to long-term plan to send a lunar lander in 2032, build a lunar base in 2040, and send a Mars lander in 2045."



The 3rd National Space Committee was held on the 25th. [Photo = National Aeronautics and Space Administration]



It was judged that the U.S. will also likely move on to advancing into Mars after building a lunar base. Commissioner Yoon said, "Space plans are changing under the Trump administration, such as the change of the director of the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration," and "Space agency officials are in constant contact with the U.S. to ensure close cooperation."



The development plan for Cheonsae Satellite 5 is a multi-agency project being promoted jointly by the Korea Meteorological Administration and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. It is the first domestic geostationary satellite project to be led by a private company.



The business announcement is currently in progress. The goal is to develop the world's best geostationary meteorological and space weather satellite by 2031. Once satellite development is completed, it is expected to monitor hazardous weather and climate change with rapid and accurate observation technology and observe the space environment to contribute to national safety.



The low-orbit satellite communication technology development project plan is to launch two low-orbit communication satellites based on the 6G standard by 2030 and develop ground stations and terminal stations to build a pilot network for a low-orbit satellite communication system. The plan is to make core low-orbit satellite communication technologies independent and secure the capabilities of domestic companies to enter the global market. The



basic direction for the construction of the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) building is to build the Korea Aerospace Research Institute building in the Gyeongnam Aerospace National Industrial Complex (Sacheon District) by 2030 and secure a site where the national core aerospace infrastructure can be integrated centered around it.



Vice Chairman Bang Hyo-chung said, "In order to expand the future space economy, private-sector-centered innovative technology development is essential," adding, "This promotion strategy clearly presents the direction of fostering private industries and securing key basic technologies in the long term, so I hope that government ministries, including the Korea Aerospace Research Institute, and experts from various fields will work together to smoothly implement this."



Korea Aerospace Research Institute Commissioner Yoon Young-bin said, "In the era of NewSpace, the space sector is changing very rapidly both domestically and internationally," and "The Korea Aerospace Research Institute will listen to the opinions of private-sector experts and related ministries through the National Space Committee and, based on this, establish policies that can respond to global trends."



Korea Aerospace Research Institute Commissioner Yoon Yeong-bin is giving a pre-briefing on the National Space Committee agenda at the government complex in Seoul on the 24th. [Photo=Reporter Jeong Jong-oh]



The following is a Q&A from Commissioner Yoon Young-bin's pre-briefing.



-What is our country's space transportation promotion strategy?



"This is a strategy to respond to the rapidly changing technological innovation environment and paradigm shift in the space launch vehicle sector, which became the stepping stone for national pride and the leap to the 7th space power through the success of Nuri. We



will actively pursue securing new technologies such as reusable launch vehicles and orbital transport ships to enhance the competitiveness of space transportation technology. We will establish infrastructure and systems to activate the capabilities of the private sector and become a stepping stone for the creation of the space economy."



- I am curious about the artificial satellite promotion strategy .



"The Republic of Korea's artificial satellite promotion strategy is a strategy to realize a space power by creating an ecosystem for satellite development and utilization.



We plan to secure satellites that will preemptively secure promising future technologies such as ultra-high-resolution satellites, ultra-low-orbit satellites, and multi-level orbit navigation systems, and support the resolution of social issues that directly affect the people.



We will strengthen private capabilities and support the expansion of the space economy by establishing a utilization system for the accumulated technologies."



- What is the Republic of Korea's space science exploration promotion strategy?



"This is a strategy to overcome the technology gap with space powers and achieve the vision of expanding human knowledge and space economy territory.



Since space exploration requires international cooperation, especially with its high technology and enormous cost, we plan to actively promote joint projects such as asteroid exploration and space telescope development through this.



We will find and carry out creative and challenging missions that only our country can lead with distinction, such as the Lagrange 4 (L4) space observatory.



Rather than a one-time mission, we will foster sustainable exploration capabilities that extend from the moon to Mars and promote technology development projects to create a microgravity environment and lunar surface space economy ecosystem.



Among the contents presented in the promotion strategy, we will select and focus on securing core technologies such as reusable launch vehicles and orbital transport ships in the space transportation sector, ultra-high resolution satellites and ultra-low orbit satellites/multi-level orbit navigation systems in the satellite sector, and the L4 space observatory and lunar lander projects in the space science exploration sector as 'brand projects.'"



- It is said that changes to the next-generation launch vehicle development project are being promoted.



"This improvement promotion plan is to promote administrative procedures to review changes in the plan for the next-generation launch vehicle development project, which actively responds to domestic and international technological environmental changes during the space launch vehicle paradigm shift period and develops the next national main launch vehicle.



Considering the expansion of the space economy and the global changes in the space launch vehicle technology environment, we judged that it is time to discuss ways to simultaneously achieve two tasks: the self-powered launch of the lunar lander in 2032 and the development of an economically viable national space launch vehicle.



This agenda is to notify that we will initiate administrative procedures to review changes to the business plan in order to actively respond to changes in the external technological environment. If the changes are confirmed in the future, we will discuss them through the National Space Committee, etc."



- I am curious about the development plan for a geostationary meteorological and space weather satellite.



"This is a project to develop the Cheonryang 5 satellite, which will succeed the previous meteorological satellite and be capable of observing space hazards. This project is a multi-departmental (Aerospace Administration, Korea Meteorological Administration) collaboration project, and in the era of Newspace, it is the first domestic geostationary satellite to adopt a business promotion system led by a private company.



"Once Cheonsae-5, which will be operated for 10 years starting in 2031, is completed and put into orbit, it is expected to replace existing satellites and contribute to national safety by quickly responding to not only meteorological observations but also space hazards."



- There is also a plan for a low-orbit satellite communication technology development project.



"The low-orbit satellite communication technology development project plan is a project to make core low-orbit satellite communication technologies independent in line with the emergence of the new 6G satellite communication standard and to secure the capabilities of our companies to enter the global market.



It involves launching two low-orbit communication satellites based on the 6G standard by 2030 and establishing a low-orbit satellite communication system demonstration network including ground stations and terminal stations. The goal is



to selectively and strategically develop core technologies and products such as communication payloads, ground stations, and terminal stations in conjunction with the 3GPP's 6G NTN international standard, thereby expanding opportunities for domestic companies to enter the parts supply chain when advancing overseas."



- Where will the Aerospace Administration be built?



"In order to steadily promote the national aerospace policy, we have proposed a plan to build a headquarters for the Korea Aerospace Administration in the Gyeongnam Aerospace National Industrial Complex (Sacheon District) by 2030."



The Korea Aerospace Administration selected this candidate site after a site selection committee comprised of private sector experts from various fields, including urban planning experts, to select the optimal location for the headquarters.



The newly built headquarters will house key facilities for fostering the aerospace industry and promoting key development projects, as well as various work support facilities and convenience facilities that will improve living conditions.



In the mid- to long-term, we will also promote the creation of infrastructure for the operation of key national space and aviation assets in adjacent areas and a theme park that will emerge as a world-class space and aviation attraction. We plan to develop the Korea Aerospace Administration into a landmark symbolizing the vision and achievements of the Republic of Korea's space and aviation."





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