South Korea Accelerates Development of Reusable Next-Generation Launch Vehicle for 2032 Lunar Lander Mission

Korea Aerospace Administration, Industry, and Academia Form "One Team"
Development Begins on the Nation’s Primary Launch Vehicle for the 2030s
Transitioning to a Reusable System Like SpaceX
Laying the Foundation for Low-Cost, High-Frequency Launches

South Korea has officially begun developing a reusable next-generation launch vehicle to independently send a lunar lander to the Moon by 2032. The government, industry, and research institutions have formed a "One Team" to secure reusable launch vehicle technology, similar to SpaceX's Falcon 9.

On June 30, the Korea Aerospace Administration announced that it held the "Next-Generation Launch Vehicle Full-Scale Development Industry-Academia-Research Meeting" at the Korea Aerospace Research Institute, where it shared the current status and future plans for developing a reusable next-generation launch vehicle.

SpaceX's reusable launch vehicle Falcon 9. Photo by Elon Musk, CEO, provided via Twitter

This meeting was held at the point when the system conceptual design had been completed following the decision to transition the development direction of the next-generation launch vehicle to a reusable system. More than 70 representatives from industry, academia, and research institutions attended, including the Korea Aerospace Research Institute, system integrator Hanwha Aerospace, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, Hyundai Rotem, Vitronextech, and Hanyang ENG.

Goal: Independent Lunar Lander Launch by 2032

Participants shared the status of component development, detailed schedules for the next-generation launch vehicle, and updates on lunar lander development, and discussed strategies to secure globally competitive launch vehicles in the 2030s.

In particular, stakeholders from the second phase of the lunar exploration program also attended to focus on discussing cooperation measures for the independent launch of a lunar lander by 2032.

The government plans to first launch a performance verification vehicle in 2031, followed by the sequential launches of a lunar soft landing demonstration vehicle and a lunar lander in 2032.

"A Key Pillar for Building the Space Expressway"

The next-generation launch vehicle is a rocket currently under development for use as the nation’s main space launch vehicle in the 2030s. By applying reusable technology instead of a single-use launch vehicle, the goal is to reduce launch costs and increase the number of launches.

Reusable launch vehicles recover and reuse the first-stage booster after launch, which can dramatically reduce launch costs and is considered a core competitive advantage in the global space industry. The Falcon 9 from SpaceX in the United States is a representative example.

Tae seog Oh, Commissioner of the Korea Aerospace Administration, stated, "With recent developments such as the initial public offering of SpaceX, the era of the space economy is truly beginning. The next-generation launch vehicle will not only strengthen our independent access to space but also serve as a key pillar for the 'space expressway' that enables low-cost, high-frequency launches."

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