한국항공우주연구원

The Government, Establishing a Foothold for the Takeoff of Korea as an Aerospace Powerhouse

-「Middle and long term space development plan」 and 「Industrialization strategy of space technology」 -

□ On Nov 26, the Ministry of Science, ICT, and Future Planning (Minister, Choi Moon-Ki) held the 6th National Commission of Space with relevant authorities and presented 3 major plans in the field of space development: 「Middle and Long Term Space Development Plan」,「Industrialization Strategy of Space Technology」 and「Amendment of the Korean Launch Vehicle Development Plan」. 

□ Then, Choi Moon-Ki, a Minister of the Ministry of Science, ICT, and Future Planning held a meeting with representatives of 8 small and medium-sized businesses in the field of space development at the Ministry of Space, ICT, and Future Planning office, and arranged a meeting to express the intentions of the government to promote the space industry. 

< Background of the Planning >

□ In spite of its short history of 25 years in space development, Korea has secured outstanding space development abilities, becoming the 11th member of the 'Space Club' with own satellites, a space center, and launch vehicle by successfully launching Naro (KSLV-1) early this year. 

□ As we are judged to have limitations in overcoming the technological gap with advanced countries and to get long-term sustainability of outer space activities solely by playing catch up and promoting appearance-oriented space development businesses, we have been drawing up comprehensive political measures for a paradigm shift in space development from early this year. 

< Main Contents of the Plan >

□ First, for strategic space development by 'choice and concentration,' the「Middle and Long Term Space Development Plan」consists of 4 goals: (1) to expand the budget in the field of space area of the government, (2) to secure launching ability through the development of the Korea Space Launch Vehicle II, (3) to continuously developing satellites by expanding private participation, and(4) to secure competitiveness in the space development field at the level of advanced countries. To this end we currently have 6 priority projects and 17 promotion works. 

□ Also, under the vision of "to create a new growth engine and realize a creative economy to take-off as a powerful nation in the space industry,"「Industrialization Strategy of Space Technology」is suggesting 4 promotion strategies: (1): to create demand in the space industry, (2) to expand the role of the industry and to consolidate competitive power, (3) to expand utilization service of satellite information, (4) to vitalize convergence of  space technology, and 8 major promotion works. 

□ Main contents by field of an established plan are as follows. 

① Launch vehicle development field

□ 'Korean launch vehicle' that can put 1.5-ton practical satellites into low Earth orbit (600~800km) will be developed with our technology by 2020. 

□ The government will secure the ability to launch, a foothold of distinct space development, in early stages to make preemptive measure to the increasing competition in the space development field, and meanwhile, the government will consider the necessity of taking the initiative in the security dimension of space activities. 

○ The government set the contents of「The Amendment of the Development Project of Korean Launch Vehicle」to shorten the development time by 1 year 13 months('21.Sep → '20.Jun) compared to the original period through the recent National Commission on Space. 

□ The government explained that the necessary budget, solely for early development (112.5 billion won) requiring additional construction such as facilities, was minimized by shortening the final development schedule of the launch vehicle through additional build-up of launch vehicle test facilities and production development.

□ In addition, the government is planning to enter the commercial launch service market in the medium to longer term by obtaining orders from foreign satellite launching industry on the basis of Korea's launch vehicle, and to develop mid-Earth orbit satellites and geostationary orbit launch vehicles to enlarge the field of space development. 

② Satellite Development and Application Field

□ A multi-purpose satellite, an extremely sensitive observation satellite, will be developed according to the national strategic demand. 

○ Specifically, an optical camera payload of lower than 0.5m resolution for public safety and land/resource management and high performance radar of possible all-weather constant observation will be developed solely by domestic techniques. 

□ Also, the increasing satellite utilization demand from the public/private sector will be addressed efficiently, whereas the development of next-generation mid-satellite technology will be pushed forward to enter the global satellite production market. 

□ In addition, the government plans to spur the development of mid-Earth orbit satellites and geostationary satellites based on the experience of developing the Chollian. 

○ A distinct characteristic of the mid-Earth orbit satellite and geostationary satellite is that spheres of activity and missions are very diverse compare to the low earth orbit satellite such as weather observation, ocean/environment surveillance, navigation system set up, and satellite communication/broadcasting service. 

□ Above all, the government explained that they will construct the 'approaching application system of satellite information' for these satellites to make direct contributions to improving the quality of people's lives. 

○ Accordingly, satellite information services that are considered to be helpful for people's lives and the economy are expected to be provided, such as the real-time weather information analysis and prediction, marine pollution surveillance, agricultural crop analysis, next-generation differential global positioning system, and marine physical distribution management. 

○ Also, international cooperation will be strengthened by constructing the satellite-based East Asia constant observation/utilization service (named 'SENSE Asia').

③ Space Exploration Field

□ First, the government is in favor of a lunar exploration project using the Korean launch vehicle.

○ With the construction of an Earth station for a test lunar orbiter and deep space communication purposes in 2017, a lunar orbiter and lunar module will be magnetically launched in 2020 using a Korean launch vehicle. 

○ In the 21st century, lunar exploration is becoming a chapter of the new space race between advanced countries as a repository for scientific research and resource exploration and as an advanced base to pioneer space territory. 

○ Experts consider successful magnetic lunar exploration as the entry point into being an advanced country in the field of space technology, and at the same time, they expect it to create the effect of encouraging national pride through national status enhancement. 

□ Also, exploring Mars, asteroids, and deep space will be promoted in the middle and long term, as well as a space surveillance system to take action against dangers from space that have become frequent recently such as falling  space objects. 

④ Field of Promoting the Space Industry

□ Comprehensive measures by the government to foster the domestic space industry are being prepared in earnest. 

○ The space industry is an industry of great economic ripple effects, so called the 'Space Economy' that the OECE data (2011) stated the space industry has created a GDP of approximately 6.5 trillion won in England. 

○ However, the scale of the space industry in Korea is very unsatisfactory due to the lack of private production demand and uncertain business environment according to appearance-oriented short-term space development. 

※ 0.45% share in the global space market based on sales (880 billion won). 

□ Therefore, the government declared that they have prepared a separate systematic support plan to foster the domestic space industry by taking the national significance and trends of promoting the space industry in all countries of the world into consideration. 

□ The core of an established 「Industrialization Strategy of the Space Technology」is to significantly increase the quantity of private development by performing national medium and long term planning of  space development, and to continuously create a demand for the space industry through exports by supporting the export of aerospace products. 

○ Particularly , the plan is to establish a bridgehead for pioneering the space market around the world by exporting multi-purpose working satellites with a competitive edge. 

□ Also, competency of the industry will be improved through technical development support and relocation of the appearance holding technology, and the industry taking lead of the space development in the future is one of the main contents. 

○ Furthermore, the government will support space technology to be used as a new added value creating factor in many different spheres by expanding the industrial use of satellite information and through fusion and convergence of space technology and ICT. 

□ In this regard, minister, Choi Moon-Ki mentioned that civilians need to take the leading role for sustainable space development in a meeting with businesses in the field of space. He also:

○ Emphasized the importance of the space industry by saying, "when products or services manufactured with space technology melt into people's lives directly or indirectly as much as the launching of Naro, we can gain firm support regarding space development from people."

□ The government sees good prospects of expanding the size of the domestic space market by a factor of 3 and of creating 4,500 excellent new jobs in the field of space through the「Industrialization Strategy of Space Technology」.

⑤ The Field of Expanded Space Development Infrastructure

□ To put the middle and long term space development plans into practice, original/core space technology will be strengthened and future space technology such as high performance, high efficiency staged combustion cycle engine based technology, and reentry technology into earth will be pushed forward in full scale. 

□ Also, a small number of 2,200 professionals in the field of space will be increased to 4,800 by 2020 through 'Space Education Center(tentative name).'

□ The government is promoting diversifying and strategic international cooperation for smooth operation of national space development projects, and 

○ plans to find ways to improve national prestige through the field of space through Official Development Assistant(ODA, EDCF).