Unified Call for Continued Use of Nuriho and Revitalization of the Private Launch Vehicle Industry
Experts Urge Special Measures for Additional Nuriho Launches and Sustaining the Industrial Ecosystem
"Nuriho is not a technology to be used just once and discarded. We need to build its reliability through repeated launches and actively utilize it for launching defense satellites as well."
Participants are engaged in a discussion at the 'Private Launch Vehicle Industry Revitalization Forum' held at the National Assembly Members' Office Building on the 20th.
Experts in the space sector have emphasized the urgent need for the continued use of the Nuriho launch vehicle, which was developed domestically, as well as the revitalization of the private launch vehicle industry ecosystem. With the success of the third Nuriho launch securing independent launch vehicle technology, they stressed that it is now critical to generate demand and establish practical strategies for industrial growth and self-reliance, with the public sector taking the lead.
At the 'Private Launch Vehicle Industry Revitalization Forum' held at the National Assembly Members' Office Building in Seoul on the 20th, hosted by Representative Choi Hyungdu of the People Power Party and Representative Hwang Jungah of the Democratic Party of Korea, and organized by the Korea Space Technology Promotion Association, experts highlighted the need for improvements to Nuriho and the importance of continuous launches.
Jin Seungbo, principal researcher at the Korea Aerospace Research Institute, stated, "We should not leave our national core launch vehicle unused like a 'dormant license,'" emphasizing that securing additional launch demand and maintaining continued launches are essential for building a self-sustaining industrial ecosystem.
Currently, most defense and public satellites rely on foreign launch vehicles such as those provided by SpaceX. As a result, concerns about security and limitations in controlling launch schedules have been repeatedly raised.
A notable example is the space telescope SPHEREx, jointly developed by the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute and NASA, whose launch into space aboard a SpaceX rocket was postponed several times.
If domestic launch vehicles are used for public satellites with various missions, including defense satellites, it is expected that security gaps can be minimized and a foundation for independent space power operations can be established.
Jung Hyekyung, Director of Industrial Policy at the Korea Aerospace Administration, also presented the 'Nuriho Heritage Project' as a key solution to bridge the launch gap between 2028 and 2031. Jung explained that this project, with a budget of approximately 160 billion won, aims to launch two defense security satellites and will serve as a 'bridge phase' to secure commercialization-related technological elements such as expanded Nuriho fairings and demonstration of inclined orbit insertion capabilities.
Lee Junwon, Executive Vice President of Hanwha Aerospace, pointed out that companies involved in Nuriho are at risk of halting production and losing engineers due to a lack of additional work. He stressed, "To prevent the collapse of the industrial ecosystem, the government needs to secure stable launch demand and pursue long-term contracts in the form of 'Block-Buy' agreements."
Kim Sujong, CEO of launch vehicle startup Innospace, called for specific government support to promote the development of small launch vehicles. He argued, "Since a private launch site is not scheduled to be built until 2031, private companies should be allowed flexible access to existing launch sites until then, and the burden of launch site usage fees and other costs should be reduced."
Kim further stated, "A track record of successful launches is absolutely vital for the commercialization of private companies," and added, "The government should quickly place launch service orders based on public demand so that domestic companies can build trust when bidding for overseas contracts."
He also suggested that it is important to expand essential test infrastructure for launch vehicle development, such as for engines and flight tests, and to establish incentive systems that allow private companies to actively acquire and utilize advanced technologies from government-funded research institutes.
On this day, experts cited numerous examples of launch vehicle industrialization from advanced space nations such as the United States and Japan. In Japan's case, after deciding to commercialize its domestic launch vehicle 'H-IIA' in 2002, the government secured four improved models through repeated launches based on public demand and succeeded in entering the global market in 2009.
The United States, through its Launch Services Program (LSP), supports various infrastructure and technologies with its own NASA budget when private companies launch public satellites.
Kim Hosik, professor at Portland State University, proposed that a fundamental change in the governance structure of Korea's space development is needed. He pointed out that, at present, the distinction between 'civil' and 'military' sectors in Korea's space development is unclear, resulting in ambiguous policy targets, overlapping investments, inefficiencies, and potential disruptions to the industrial ecosystem.
Professor Kim suggested that, similar to the United States, Korea should clearly distinguish and reorganize its space development sector into three areas: Civil, Defense, and Commercial.
He especially emphasized the importance of legally and institutionally guaranteeing the independence and leading participation of the 'Commercial' sector, which accounts for 80% of the global space economy and holds limitless growth potential.
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