SK Hynix Semiconductors Also Board Nuri Rocket... Korean Companies Validate Technology in Space

Verifying DRAM and UFS Performance in Space

Rising Demand for High-Performance Semiconductors in the Space Environment

Expanding Space Industry: From Batteries to Industrial Gases

On October 7, domestic companies are targeting the space market through the fifth launch of the Korean launch vehicle Nuri rocket. They are testing the performance of semiconductors, batteries, and electronic components by loading them onto satellites, evaluating their function in the extreme environment of space. Companies are also participating in the manufacture of launch vehicles and the construction of ground infrastructure. Their strategy is to expand the technological expertise developed in their core businesses to the space sector, thereby securing new drivers of growth.

This launch will carry a record-high total of 15 satellites. Among these, SK hynix's DRAM and universal flash storage (UFS) will be loaded onto the second space verification satellite. This initiative is part of the "Domestic Devices and Components Space Verification Support Project," led by the Korea Aerospace Administration and the Korea Aerospace Research Institute. The goal is to test whether the memory operates normally in space and whether it can withstand radiation. Last year, during the fourth Nuri rocket launch, Samsung Electronics' DRAM and NAND flash memory were loaded onto the first space verification satellite.

The same satellite will also carry key components from domestic space companies, such as Inserasolutions' high-speed precision steering mirror and Momentum Space's reaction wheel. LG Group will load five types of parts from three of its affiliates, including camera modules and battery packs, onto a CubeSat and test their performance in orbit for about 60 days.

The Future Growth Engine Is Space: Korean Companies Enter Practical Demonstrations

SK hynix's DRAM and NAND heading to space aboard the Nuri rocket. Korea Aerospace Research Institute.

Companies are venturing into space validation to secure the reliability of their products in preparation for market expansion. With growing data needs, such as autonomous spacecraft operation and real-time video analysis on observation satellites, the potential use cases for advanced semiconductors are increasing. The World Economic Forum (WEF) and McKinsey forecast that the global space economy will reach 1.8 trillion dollars by 2035.

Memory companies, including Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, are testing whether semiconductors can adapt to the space environment and are seeking to enter the space electronics equipment market. In April, the two companies supplied semiconductors for the Korean CubeSat “K-RadCube” aboard Artemis II. As global technology companies accelerate the build-out of space artificial intelligence (AI) data centers, Korean firms appear to be exploring opportunities for space exploration semiconductors. The amount of data requiring processing—from autonomous spacecraft navigation to real-time, high-resolution Earth observation satellite imagery—is surging, making the adoption of advanced semiconductors in the space and aerospace industry inevitable.

Electronics and component manufacturers have likewise begun pioneering new markets. LG Group, leveraging the outcomes of this demonstration, has set a target to launch its own CubeSat by 2028, expanding business opportunities in the space environment. The company plans to achieve results and generate revenue from its space operations by 2030.

POSCO is also extending its business scope into the aerospace sector. Last April, the company signed a business agreement with the Korea Aerospace Research Institute and is currently working on the development and localization of rare gas blending technologies—including xenon and krypton—for use as satellite propellants. Through the recently established POSCO Air Solution, POSCO intends to expand its business to include other industrial gases for aerospace applications, such as liquid oxygen, nitrogen, argon, and helium.

From Development to Launch: Building the Foundation for the Space Industry

Korea Aerospace Research Institute released on the 30th the assembly scene of the Korean launch vehicle Nuriho, conducted on the 29th at the launch vehicle integration building of Naro Space Center in Goheung, Jeollanam-do. Korea Aerospace Research Institute.

Domestic companies are playing key roles in the production and launch infrastructure of the Nuri rocket. Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) is in charge of the propellant tank production and overall system assembly for the fifth launch, as they were for the third and fourth launches. The company is responsible for fabricating the key launch vehicle components and integrating them into a complete launch vehicle.

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries was responsible for the ground infrastructure necessary to launch the rocket into space. Drawing on its experience building the launch pad for the Naro rocket (KSLV-I), the company secured a contract in 2016 from the Korea Aerospace Research Institute to build the Korean launch pad system and established the dedicated second launch pad for the Nuri rocket at the Naro Space Center. The company independently designed, manufactured, and installed the launch pad systems—including mechanical ground support equipment (MGSE), propellant ground support equipment (FGSE), and electrical ground support equipment (EGSE)—and is involved in launch operations. The company emphasizes that the localization rate for launch pad system process technology has reached 100%, ensuring that all launch infrastructure can now be built and operated with domestic technology. Ahead of the fifth Nuri launch, the company repaired key equipment and inspected system performance after the fourth launch.

Hyundai Rotem is responsible for the testing infrastructure that verifies propulsion system performance prior to each launch. The propulsion system test facilities at the Naro Space Center are used to test the propulsion systems and combustion performance of the first, second, and third stages of the Nuri rocket with flow and combustion tests. Design began in 2011, and development was completed in 2021. This facility has been used for every launch from the second through the fifth Nuri launches.

The technology accumulated from the Nuri rocket project is also being applied to next-generation space projects. Based on its expertise in propulsion systems, Hyundai Rotem is working with Korean Air and other partners to develop core technologies for 35-ton-class reusable launch vehicle methane engines. A Hyundai Rotem official stated, "With the arrival of the new space era, demand for aerospace solutions in the private sector is increasing. We are pursuing business opportunities to play an active role in the private reusable launch vehicle sector after 2030."

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