Hanwha Envisions the Future of Space with "Pebbles of the Universe" for the Public

Space Experts to Speak in Sangam on the 29th

Sharing the Vision of a “Korean Version of SpaceX”

Hanwha Group is expanding its “Pebbles of the Universe” program, originally aimed at nurturing young space talent, into an open conference for the general public. This move comes in response to the era of private space exploration, with the goal of cultivating talent and broadening the domestic space ecosystem.

Hanwha Group announced on the 3rd that the “Pebbles of the Universe Open Conference” will take place on the 29th at the Cube Convention Center in Sangam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul.

'Pebbles of the Universe' Open Conference Poster. Hanwha

This event is a public conference that broadens the reach of the “Pebbles of the Universe” space talent development program, which had previously targeted youth, to the general public.

“Pebbles of the Universe” is a space talent development program jointly operated for the past five years by Hanwha Group and the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). Each year, about 30 middle school students are selected to receive space science education and expert mentoring.

This event will feature speakers including science communicator Kwedo, Professor Jeon Eunji of the KAIST Department of Aerospace Engineering, writer Cho Seungyeon, astronomer Ji Woongbae, and industry analyst Jung Euihoon, who will share insights into the potential of the space industry as a future industry in terms accessible to the general public.

Conference registrations are being accepted through the official website until the 15th.

Recently, as SpaceX in the United States has dramatically reduced space exploration costs with reusable launch vehicles and ushered in the private space era, there is growing demand within South Korea for a “Korean version of SpaceX.” The consensus is that domestic aerospace companies, each possessing different technologies from launch vehicles and satellites to systems integration, need to join forces.

Currently, the space industry requires single solutions that cover everything from launch vehicles to satellite manufacturing and operation, and as the relevance to artificial intelligence (AI) increases, global space companies are rapidly scaling up and integrating their operations.

Hanwha Group has recently announced plans to invest a total of 55 trillion won in aerospace and AI industries by 2040, with the goal of positioning Korea as an AI space powerhouse. The plan includes building an integrated space infrastructure encompassing proprietary launch vehicles, satellite networks, and defense AI.

In addition, Hanwha Group is accelerating its efforts to strengthen its competitiveness in the space sector by increasing its stake in Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) to around 14% and changing its shareholding purpose to “participation in management.”

A Hanwha Group representative stated, “We have continued Pebbles of the Universe for five years, believing that the Korean version of SpaceX ultimately starts with people. For Korea to foster a space company like SpaceX, there must be a next generation that dreams of reaching space.”

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