Tag Archives: South Korea

Two major space events took place in South-Korea in November 2023: Space Forum Korea, hosted by the South-Korean government, in close cooperation with the US and major ASEAN economies. And an International Workshop on Space Resources with Perspectives of Emerging Space Programs, hosted by the Secure World Foundation, an American NGO. Then, on the first day of December 2023, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched the country’s first spy satellite into orbit, from California’s Vandenberg Space Force base, just one month after North Korea had launched its own. Let’s review these events in context, and draw some observations on the global standing of South-Korea as an Emerging Space Country.

SpaceX has successfully launched its first military spy satellite to better monitor North Korea. The launch happened at California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base using SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket. Furthermore, it is the first of five spy satellites South Korea contracted with SpaceX to launch into space by 2025. The satellite is an electrooptical and infrared device, while the four remaining satellites will feature synthetic aperture radar, which can "see" through cloud cover and at night.

The Korean Government is set to establish a fund to support private space startups, according to local sources. According to the South Korean Ministry of Science and ICT, the Government will create a 50-billion-won fund ($38.5 million) by 2027 to invest in the private space sector. The Korea Venture Investment Corp will operate this fund.

The United Kingdom and South Korea have committed not to destructively test direct ascent anti-satellite missiles (DA-ASAT) and thus joining the initiative led by the United Stated to promote peaceful and safe use of outer space.

Space launch systems operator Virgin Orbit, has signed an agreement with South Korean investment group J-Space, to assess candidate spaceport launch sites in South Korea, to conduct satellite launch services from there using the LauncherOne System, Virgin said.

South Korea’s domestic KSLV-2 rocket developed by the Korean Aerospace Research Institute (KARI), successfully deployed a performance test satellite into low Earth orbit for the first time during its second flight. The spacecraft will put four smaller satellites into orbit in the next few days.

South Korea signed a contract with SpaceX to launch five of its spy satellites by 2025, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) confirmed. The first launch will take place by the end of 2023 onboard of a Falcon 9 rocket, delivering an 800-kg electro-optical infrared satellite to low Earth orbit.

The South Korean technology and manufacturing conglomerate Hanwha Systems buys an 8.8% share in OneWeb for $300 million, the London-based satellite operator said. Hanwha brings further defence capabilities and the latest antenna technologies to OneWeb, alongside relationships to new government customers and expanded geographical reach, OneWeb said.

South Korea wants to develop a fleet of over 100 nanosatellites, the South Korean press reported. The country will develop the constellation over the next decade, with the aim of establishing a national security monitoring system and testing next generation network communications in its latest push to strengthen its space industry, the Korea Times reported.

New Zealand is the 11th nation to sign NASA’s Artemis Accords, the country announced. New Zealand’s foreign minister Nanaia Mahuta and the economic development minister Stuart Nash announced the government has agreed to join the Artemis Accords, launched by NASA, and now signed by eleven nations, the government said on its website.