120 High School Students to Visit Aerospace Research and Industry Sites

Korea Aerospace Administration to Run Field-Exploration Program in Three Regions From Nov. 14
From Drone Piloting to Satellite and Aircraft Production Sites... Free to Participate

A total of 120 high school students from across the country will explore career opportunities in the aerospace sector by visiting satellite research facilities, aircraft production sites and other locations.

On November 13, the Korea Aerospace Administration said it would pilot “Space Pathfinder,” an aerospace field-exploration program for high school students, from November 14 through December 9 in three regions: the Seoul metropolitan area, the Chungcheong region and the Gyeongsang region.

File photo for illustrative purposes. Researchers conduct final checks on the five microsatellites mounted on Nuriho 5. Courtesy of the Korea Aerospace Research Institute.

The program, organized by the Korea Foundation for the Advancement of Science and Creativity, will involve 40 high school students from each region, for a total of 120 participants. They will visit aerospace research institutes, companies and universities to tour relevant facilities and receive career counseling and mentoring from researchers and university students.

The first program, in the Seoul metropolitan area on November 14, will take place at the Goyang Drone Anchor Center in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, and Korea Aerospace University. Participants will learn how drones fly and take part in hands-on piloting exercises. At Korea Aerospace University’s Aerospace Museum, they will see a full-size A300 aircraft and talk about career paths with members of IKAU, a student club in the university’s aerospace program.

The Chungcheong-region program on November 21 will include visits to the National Science Museum and the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). Participants will view exhibits on the origin of the universe and astronomical observations during the Joseon Dynasty, and learn about the launch and observation processes for scientific satellites at the KAIST Satellite Research Center and its ground station. They will also take part in a launch vehicle activity with THRUST, a rocket club.

The Gyeongsang-region program on December 9 will be held in Sacheon and Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province. Participants will visit the Sacheon Aerospace Museum and Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) to tour aircraft production sites. They will then take part in an astronomy lesson at the Gyeongsangnam-do Office of Education Science Education Center to experience the scale of the universe.

Participation is free, but participants must cover their own round-trip transportation to the gathering point in each region. Applications for the Chungcheong region will be accepted through November 16, and those for the Gyeongsang region from November 16 through November 30. More information is available on the Korea Aerospace Administration website.

“The moment students see firsthand how the scientific principles they learned at school are put into practice in actual satellites, launch vehicles and aircraft, their dreams of working in aerospace become much clearer,” said Tae seog Oh, head of the Korea Aerospace Administration. “We will work closely with aerospace research institutes, universities and companies across the country to actively support more young people in gaining hands-on experience in the field.”

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