South Korea Takes First Step Toward 'Reusable Rocket'... Vertical Takeoff and Landing Test Set for 2028

Korea Aerospace Research Institute Begins Assembly of 12.2m, 6.4t Demonstrator

Equipped with 8-ton Engine for Two Test Flights... Reducing Technical Risks for Next-Generation Launch Vehicles

South Korea is set to begin full-scale flight verification of the core technologies for 'reusable launch vehicles,' which are rockets that are launched into space and then landed back on Earth for reuse. A test vehicle measuring 12.2 meters in height will be built, and an actual vertical takeoff and landing test will be conducted in 2028. The aim is to validate key technologies such as engines, flight control, and landing in advance, prior to developing the next-generation launch vehicle as a reusable rocket.

The Korea Aerospace Research Institute announced on September 29 that it has begun assembling the first flight model of the "Reusable Technology Demonstrator" at the Hanwha Aerospace assembly facility in Suncheon.

Reusable Technology Demonstration Platform Configuration. Provided by Korea Aerospace Research Institute

The Reusable Technology Demonstrator is a test vehicle that is smaller than an actual reusable launch vehicle. It is designed to fly to a low altitude using a small engine, then perform repeated vertical landings. This repeated testing serves to develop the necessary technologies and operational experience required for reusable launch vehicles. In essence, the demonstrator acts as a testbed that helps reduce technical risks before proceeding with full-scale rocket development.

Last year, South Korea changed its program plan to develop the next-generation launch vehicle as a reusable rocket. Accordingly, the Korea Aerospace Research Institute intends to first secure related technologies such as vertical takeoff and landing through the demonstrator, and then apply them to the development of the next-generation launch vehicle.

8-ton engine installed on 12.2m demonstrator... Two test flights scheduled for 2028

The demonstrator now being assembled is 12.2 meters tall and weighs 6.4 tons. It is equipped with an 8-ton-class engine, which is smaller than the 80-ton-class engine currently under development for the next-generation launch vehicle. After final assembly, functionality checks, and ground static fire tests, a low-altitude vertical takeoff and landing flight test is scheduled to take place at the Naro Space Center in 2028.

Since 2023, the Korea Aerospace Research Institute has been jointly developing the demonstrator with Hanwha Aerospace, Vitronextech, and Hanyang ENG. Hanwha Aerospace is responsible for the system integration, Vitronextech is developing the engine, and Hanyang ENG is in charge of ground facilities development.

Reusable technology demonstration vehicle flight profile (draft). Provided by the Korea Aerospace Research Institute

By the end of this year, the development team plans to complete combustion tests for the engine development model and manufacture major components. By 2027, combustion tests for two flight models of the engine and the assembly and functionality checks for the first demonstrator will be completed. In 2028, ground combustion tests will be conducted, followed by two flight tests to verify vertical takeoff and landing performance as well as other technologies required for reusability.

Other countries are also conducting technology verification using small demonstrators before embarking on full-scale development of reusable launch vehicles. In July, Japan succeeded in using a reusable demonstrator called "RV-X," which measures 7.3 meters in length and 1.8 meters in diameter, to ascend to a height of 11 meters before landing vertically.

Lee Sangcheol, President of the Korea Aerospace Research Institute, said, "The Reusable Technology Demonstrator is significant in that it allows pre-verification of the technologies required for the development of reusable launch vehicles and accumulation of development experience. In cooperation with private companies, we will systematically pursue engine verification, demonstrator development, and flight testing in stages to establish the technical foundation needed for reusable launch vehicles."

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