– Industry-Academia-Research Stakeholders Gather to Ensure the Success of the 2032 Lunar Lander Launch Mission and Secure Reusable Launch Vehicle Technologies
The Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA, Administrator Taeseog Oh) held the “Industry-Academia-Research Meeting on Advancing the Development of the Next-Generation Launch Vehicle” on June 30 (Tue) at the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) to ensure the successful development of the Next-Generation Launch Vehicle, which is being developed as Korea’s main space launch vehicle for the 2030s.
The meeting was organized as a platform for consolidating the capabilities of industry, academia, and research institutions at the point when the system conceptual design process was being completed, following the transition of the Next-Generation Launch Vehicle development program toward a reusable launch vehicle similar to SpaceX’s Falcon 9.
Approximately 70 participants attended the meeting, including representatives from KARI, the lead research and development institution, Hanwha Aerospace, the system integration company, and other participating companies such as HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, Hyundai Rotem, Vitzro Nextech, Hanyang ENG, as well as domestic expert advisors from industry, academia, and research sectors.
During the meeting, KASA and the other participants shared the development status and detailed schedules for each component of the Next-Generation Launch Vehicle, as well as the progress of lunar lander development. They also discussed measures to develop a competitive launch vehicle for the 2030s and successfully accomplish lunar exploration missions.
In particular, officials in charge of the Phase 2 Lunar Exploration Program (lunar lander development) also attended the meeting to share the current status and development plans of the program. This strengthened communication between the two projects and enabled discussions on cooperation measures to successfully accomplish the 2032 lunar landing mission.
* To achieve independent space exploration capabilities, Korea plans to develop the Next-Generation Launch Vehicle and independently launch a lunar lander in 2032. (Launch vehicle performance verification vehicle in 2031; lunar soft-landing verification vehicle and lunar lander in 2032)
“Amid the beginning of the space economy era, accelerated by developments such as SpaceX’s initial public offering (IPO), the Next-Generation Launch Vehicle, being developed as Korea’s main launch vehicle for the 2030s, will serve as a key pillar not only in dramatically enhancing Korea’s independent access to space capabilities but also in building a space highway for low-cost, high-frequency launches,” said Administrator Oh of KASA. “Through this meeting, we will bring together national capabilities and ensure the successful development of the Next-Generation Launch Vehicle without disruption.”