Hanwha Group and KAIST to Nurture Talents for the "Korean SpaceX"

5th Round of "Pebbles of the Universe" Launched

30 Middle School Students Selected Nationwide

Comprehensive Curriculum Covering Space Technology, Policy, and AI

Students of the 5th class of Hanwha Group's "Pebbles in the Universe" are taking a commemorative photo. Hanwha Group

Hanwha Group has launched the 5th round of its "Pebbles of the Universe" program, a space talent nurturing initiative for middle school students in partnership with the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST).

On July 25, Hanwha Group announced that it held the launch ceremony for the 5th edition of "Pebbles of the Universe" at Hanwha Building in Jung-gu, Seoul. Thirty students, selected through essay evaluations and discussion-based interviews among 7th and 8th graders nationwide, are participating in this program.

Until the end of this year, the students will study "Space Technology for Korea" under the guidance of professors from the Department of Aerospace Engineering at KAIST and others. In addition to acquiring knowledge in space science, the curriculum also covers humanities related to the space industry, legal and regulatory frameworks, policies, and social changes surrounding space.

At the first session, the Space Humanities Conference, science communicator Gwido gave a lecture on "Coexistence Technology in Space." He introduced the technologies and challenges necessary for long-term survival in space.

Next, space law expert Attorney Ahn Youngshin delivered a lecture titled "Whose Law Applies in Space?" and explained various situations and related international regulations that may arise in the borderless expanse of outer space. A space science talk concert was also held, where Gwido and three KAIST professors answered students' questions.

Hanwha Group’s "Pebbles of the Universe" 1st Humanities Conference features a talk concert conducted by science communicator Gwido and KAIST professors. Hanwha Group

The second conference, scheduled to be held next month, will feature Hyungjun Ahn, head of the Space Public Team at the Science and Technology Policy Institute, and Sangkyun Kim, professor and head of the AI Business Department at Kyunghee University, as speakers. It will address space industry policies and societal changes.

Graduates will receive a certificate of completion in the name of the KAIST president and will be granted opportunities to enroll in KAIST’s Gifted Education Center programs and receive mentoring. All participants will also have the chance to visit overseas space institutions.

A Hanwha Group representative said, "The space industry requires an integrated solution from launch vehicles to satellite manufacturing and operations. The link with artificial intelligence is growing, and worldwide, space companies are moving toward larger scale and integration. The significance of this program lies in fostering talent who will lead the future space industry."

Meanwhile, Hanwha Group plans to invest a total of 55 trillion won in the space and AI industries by 2040, aiming to build an integrated space infrastructure encompassing proprietary launch vehicles, satellite networks, and defense AI. Recently, the company increased its stake in Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) to the 13 percent range and changed the purpose of its holding to "management participation."

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