Explosion Heard Over Daejeon Skies... Space Agency Conducts 'Safe Korea Drill' Simulating Meteoroid Impact

"Alert Issued Five Days Earlier"
First Space Disaster Response Drill Based on Realistic Scenario

At 2:05 p.m. on October 19, 2025, the space environment monitoring agency issued an emergency announcement stating, "The expected impact zone of a space object includes our country." Five days later, at 2:05 p.m. on October 24, a strong flash and explosion were detected in the skies over Daejeon. Localized damage occurred, including broken windows in nearby homes and multiple injuries.

The Space Agency conducted its first "Safe Korea Drill" based on a scenario in which such an event could actually occur. On October 28, the Space Agency announced that it had carried out a hands-on disaster response drill at the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute in Daejeon to prepare for the fall of natural celestial objects (such as asteroids and meteoroids).

This drill was designed to assess the effectiveness of space hazard response procedures and to strengthen cooperation among central government agencies, local governments, and expert organizations. Through this exercise, the Space Agency aimed to verify the effectiveness of the response manual for natural celestial object impacts and collisions, and to further advance the national space disaster management system.

Going forward, the government plans to expand the scope of these drills to include responses to artificial space object threats, such as satellite debris and space junk, and to institutionalize the linkage between "space security and public safety."

Guidelines for Public Action in Case of Natural Celestial Object Fall. Provided by the Korea Space Agency

This exercise was based on a scenario in which a meteoroid approximately 10 meters in diameter entered the atmosphere and exploded, causing complex damage. On the grounds of the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute, actual disaster response procedures were simulated step by step, including fire suppression, radiation detection, damage recovery, and meteorite collection.

Relevant organizations participated in the drill, including the Ministry of Science and ICT, the Ministry of National Defense, the National Fire Agency, the National Police Agency, the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission, Chungcheongnam-do Province, Daejeon City, the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute, and the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources. These organizations reviewed the cooperation system between the Space Hazard Countermeasures Headquarters and the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, and practiced procedures for information sharing, on-site command, and recovery support among agencies.

Step-by-Step Alert System Inspection..."Early Monitoring Is Key to Space Hazards"

Natural celestial objects refer to astronomical bodies that enter Earth's gravitational sphere, such as asteroids, meteoroids, meteors (shooting stars), and meteorites.

The Space Agency, in collaboration with the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute, operates a constant space hazard monitoring and analysis system. Depending on the risk level, a four-stage alert system is used: "Attention (Blue), Caution (Yellow), Warning (Orange), and Severe (Red)."

Guidelines for Public Action in Case of Natural Celestial Object Fall. Provided by the Space Agency

Based on the results of the situation assessment meeting, disaster alert messages and action guidelines are immediately communicated to the public. The core of this drill was to practice practical action guidelines: evacuating to basements or behind sturdy structures indoors, and moving to open areas with low risk of fire or collapse and protecting one's head outdoors.

Yoon Youngbin, Administrator of the Space Agency, stated, "As space activities become more active, space-related risks are directly linked to national security and public safety. Through this drill, we will strengthen our space hazard response capabilities and further advance our monitoring and analysis systems to protect the lives and safety of the public."

This drill is evaluated as the first attempt to assess the country's response capabilities to space-origin disasters, going beyond a simple disaster simulation. The Space Agency also plans to expand cooperation with the International Asteroid Warning Network (IAWN) to actively participate in building a "global space disaster response system" for the safety of humanity as a whole.