Hanwha Aerospace Selected as Korea-type Launch Vehicle System Integration Company (Comprehensive)

Ministry of Science and ICT to Hold Space Development Promotion Working Committee Meeting on the Afternoon of the 7th

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-su] Hanwha Aerospace has been selected as the preferred negotiation candidate for the system integrator company responsible for additional launches, technology verification and improvement, and performance upgrades of the Korean launch vehicle.

On the afternoon of the 7th, the Ministry of Science and ICT held a Space Development Promotion Working Committee meeting and finalized the selection of the Korean launch vehicle system integrator company. From next year, Hanwha Aerospace will oversee the production of stages 1 to 3 and the integrated launch vehicle (ILV) scheduled for four launches, and will perform overall management of component manufacturing partner companies. The project will be carried out using the design, manufacturing, final assembly, and test evaluation results of the already developed Korean launch vehicle, and Hanwha Aerospace will be responsible for contracts and quality control of participating companies. In particular, Hanwha Aerospace will receive the full-cycle launch vehicle technology, including design, manufacturing, testing, and launch operations, transferred from the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI), which successfully launched the Nuri rocket in June.

Previously, the government announced a bidding process for the system integrator company through the Korea ON-line E-Procurement System (KONEPS) from July 19 to August 30. Two companies, Hanwha Aerospace and Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), participated in the bidding. Subsequently, a technical capability evaluation (90%) was conducted under the Korea Research Foundation, combined with a bid price evaluation (10%), resulting in Hanwha Aerospace being selected over KAI.

Hanwha Aerospace will negotiate detailed work contents and technology transfer items with KARI within 30 days, and after signing a contract in November, will be finally selected as the system integrator company. Thereafter, it will participate in the preliminary preparations and launch operations for the third Nuri rocket launch scheduled for the first half of next year.