Space Aviation Agency Holds Meeting with Companies Related to Nuriho Project
- Input
- 2025-05-29 15:00:00
- Updated
- 2025-05-29 15:00:00
[Financial News] The Space Aviation Agency announced that on the 29th, it held a meeting with companies participating in the Korean Launch Vehicle Advancement Project to discuss development plans for the launch vehicle business.
In this meeting, 11 companies, including Hanwha Aerospace, which is responsible for system integration in the Nuriho project, attended to share the progress of the Nuriho project and the Space Agency's launch vehicle business plans, and to exchange opinions on fostering the launch vehicle industry.
Participating companies expressed concerns that if a gap occurs in the launch vehicle business after the 6th launch of Nuriho, it would be difficult to maintain professional manpower and facilities/equipment, and the accumulated technology and know-how could be lost. There was also an opinion that without consistent launch demand, the term "private-led space industry" would become meaningless.
To solve these issues, companies proposed specific support measures such as providing public launch demand information to secure follow-up launch volumes and signing long-term launch contracts. There was also an opinion that the Nuriho system integration company and participating companies should jointly prepare practical cost reduction measures and establish a joint response strategy.
Previously, South Korea became the 7th country in the world capable of launching satellites with its own technology by successfully launching the Nuriho (3rd) in 2023, and is evaluated to have secured independent launch capabilities. Meanwhile, the 4th launch of Nuriho is scheduled for November this year, and the 5th to 6th launches are planned for 2026 to 2027.
Han Changheon, Director of the Space Aviation Industry Bureau of the Space Agency, said, "We are aware that more than 100 companies participating in the Nuriho project are facing difficulties due to reduced production volumes," and added, "We will carefully review the opinions expressed at this meeting to prepare policy support measures and work closely with the industry to ensure that the Nuriho project can be pursued stably and continuously."
jiany@fnnews.com Yeon Ji-an Reporter