Scaling Up the Korean Space Supply Chain for Moon and Mars... KASA Accelerates Support for Private Exploration Companies

Third SOS Roundtable Held at NaraSpace
Participation from SK hynix, LG Electronics, Hyundai Motor, and Others

The Korea Aerospace Administration (KASA) is accelerating the development of a domestic private space industry ecosystem targeting the exploration markets for the Moon, Mars, and deep space. Recognizing the characteristics of the space exploration industry, which requires significant initial investment and has a long payback period, KASA is pursuing institutional reforms and expanding research and development (R&D) investment, aiming to strengthen the competitiveness of domestic companies in the deep space supply chain.

On March 31, Tae seog Oh, Commissioner of the Korea Aerospace Administration, presided over the third "Space & Aerospace SOS Roundtable" at NaraSpace Technologies, a satellite manufacturing company in Seoul. The roundtable was held at the site where the domestically developed ultra-small satellite "K-RadCube," scheduled to be onboard the U.S. Artemis 2 mission, was created, adding symbolic significance to the event.

A reference photo to help understand the article. K-RadCube satellite by Nara Space, mounted on the Artemis 2 mission. Provided by Nara Space

The event was attended by eight companies in the fields of space exploration vehicles, exploration mobility, space medicine, and space manufacturing, including NaraSpace Technologies, the Unmanned Exploration Research Institute, Boryeong, Space Lintech, SK hynix, LG Electronics, Intergravity, and Hyundai Motor Company.

The participating companies identified the high initial investment and long payback period of the space exploration industry as common challenges. Accordingly, they submitted proposals to KASA, calling for ▲ expanded support for localization of space components ▲ enhancement of ground infrastructure for the use of exploration data ▲ institutional reforms to expand private sector participation.

This roundtable was particularly significant as it included participation from semiconductor, electronics, and automotive companies in the deep space industry ecosystem. There are growing expectations that the foundation of domestic industry can expand into diverse fields such as lunar exploration rovers, space semiconductors, electronic components for extreme environments, and space healthcare.

After the roundtable, Commissioner Oh toured the ultra-small satellite development site, inspecting key facilities and the progress of research and development. KASA plans to continue working-level discussions on issues requiring in-depth review and to further concretize on-site support measures.

Commissioner Oh stated, "We will prioritize incorporating the voices from the field raised today into our policy-making process, and the Korea Aerospace Administration will serve as a strong partner, providing full support so that our companies can reach beyond the Moon and Mars, further into deep space."

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