Korea AeroSpace Administration Administrator Oh Tae-seog met with officials from US space firms Umbra Space and SpaceX on Monday, as the agency seeks to expand cooperation in satellite development, data use and launch services, KASA said Tuesday.
Oh visited Umbra Space, where he was briefed on the US company’s small satellite development projects and their applications in disaster response, security and other areas. The two sides discussed potential cooperation on privately led small satellite projects and ways to make wider use of satellite data.
Oh then visited SpaceX, where he met with company officials and sought support for the planned launch of Korea’s Compact Advanced Satellite 500-4, scheduled for the second half of this year.
They also discussed launch plans for other KASA satellite projects, including Geo-Kompsat-3, along with trends in the global launch market and the future direction of space technology.
The Geo-Kompsat-3, also known as Chollian-3, is a 3.7-ton Korean geostationary communications satellite being developed under a national space program led by KASA and the Korea Aerospace Research Institute. Its launch is tentatively planned for 2027 or 2028.
“Korea’s space industry also needs to move quickly toward a private sector-led model,” Oh said. “KASA will continue to expand cooperation with major space powers and leading space companies around the world to help Korean private firms strengthen their competitiveness in space technology.”
The space agency also led launch management for the CAS 500-2, Korea’s second next-generation midsized satellite, which lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Sunday.
yeeun@heraldcorp.com
