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Korea AeroSpace Administration

Coordinates: 35°03′07″N 128°02′29″E / 35.0520049°N 128.0413561°E / 35.0520049; 128.0413561
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Korea AeroSpace Administration
우주항공청
Formation27 May 2024
TypeGovernmental organisation
HeadquartersSacheon, South Korea
Location
Coordinates35°03′07″N 128°02′29″E / 35.0520049°N 128.0413561°E / 35.0520049; 128.0413561
Administrator
Yoon Young-bin
Deputy Director-General
Ro Kyung-won
Main organ
Ministry of Science and ICT
Budget₩964.9 billion
(US$725.5 million)
(FY2025)[1]
Staff293
Websitekasa.go.kr/eng/web/main.do
Korea AeroSpace Administration
Hangul
우주항공청
Hanja
宇宙航空廳
Revised RomanizationUju hanggongcheong
McCune–ReischauerUju hanggongch'ŏng

The Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA; Korean: 우주항공청) is a Korean government-funded space and aeronautics agency. Established under the Ministry of Science and ICT, KASA oversees the Korea Aerospace Research Institute and Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute.[2] Its headquarters is located in Sacheon, South Gyeongsang Province.

History

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KASA was established on 27 May 2024 as part of a campaign promise made by President Yoon Suk Yeol to reform national politics, including shifting space exploration to the private sector.[3] Seen as the domestic version of NASA, KASA aims to become one of the top five leading space agencies through developing the KSLV-III rocket and creating and landing homegrown spacecraft on the Moon by 2032 and Mars by 2045.[4][5]

The administration was launched as a temporary headquarters by remodeling the Aaron Aviation Ship Industry building located in Sanam-myeon, Sacheon.[6] On February 25, 2025, the National Space Committee selected the Sacheon District of the National Aerospace Industrial Complex as the final site for the new headquarters, with the goal of moving into the new headquarters by 2030.[7]

Program

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Main article: South Korean space program

Lunar exploration

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Main article: Korean Lunar Exploration Program

On October 30, 2024, KASA and KARI signed an agreement for the second phase of the lunar exploration project, lunar lander development, and announced that it would begin the project in earnest. The main content is to invest approximately 530 billion won over 10 years to independently develop a lunar lander to be sent to the moon with the goal of landing on the moon in 2032.[8]

KSLV-III

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Main article: KSLV-III

In 2022, KSLV-III, which is under development with a budget of 2.132 trillion won and aims to launch a Korean lunar lander in 2032 and achieve a performance more than three times that of Nuri, passed the preliminary feasibility study.[9] KSLV-III is being developed with the goal of its first launch in 2030.[10]

KPS

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This section is an excerpt from Korean Positioning System.[edit]
The Korean Positioning System (KPS; Korean: 한국형 위성 항법시스템) is a regional satellite navigation system currently under development by the South Korean government. It will consist of a total of eight satellites, the first of which is scheduled to be launched in 2027.[11] Full operational capability is expected in 2035.[11] KPS will provide an independent positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) service in the Asia-Oceania region and can also be compatible with other GNSS.[12]

International cooperations

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United States

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In September 2024, the Administrator Yoon Young-bin held a bilateral meeting with NASA Administrator Bill Nelson at NASA Headquarters and signed a joint statement for cooperation in space and aeronautics activities.[13]

The two administration agreed to strengthen cooperation in the fields of lunar and deep space exploration centered around the Artemis Program, and to discover innovative projects with high potential in fields such as space life science, lunar surface science, joint use of deep space antennas, and heliophysics, and to cooperate in technological exchanges and human resource development, as well as space sustainability such as space debris reduction and space traffic management. They signed an agreement on the exploration of the fourth Lagrangian point (L4), the main contents of which are to seek ways to improve space radiation safety and the efficiency of space exploration activities, and to jointly conduct research on data transmission, optical communication, and use of repeaters at L4.[14]

Germany

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Yoon met with the German Aerospace Center and signed an interagency agreement for cooperation in the areas of L4 heliosphere observations, satellite navigation, space safety, space exploration and Earth observation.[15]

Structure

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The role of KASA is largely divided into four:[16]

  • Establishing national aerospace policy
  • Conducting research and development
  • Training human resources, promoting industry
  • International cooperation

Administrator

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No. Portrait Name Term of office
Took office Left office Time in office
1 Yoon Young-bin
윤영빈 		27 May 2024 Incumbent 331 days

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Space agency seeks 27 pct hike in 2025 budget". Yonhap News. 28 August 2024.
  2. ^ 배민영 (8 January 2024). '한국판 나사' 우주항공청, 과기부에 설치… 항우연·천문연도 편입. Segye Ilbo (in Korean). Retrieved 4 June 2024.
  3. ^ Normile, Dennis (27 May 2024). "South Korea launches its own NASA: New agency aims to boost science and commercial space projects". Science.org. American Association for the Advancement of Science. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
  4. ^ Kim, Na-young (26 May 2024). "S. Korea launches space agency to compete in global space race". Yonhap News Agency. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
  5. ^ Jones, Andrew (7 June 2024). "South Korea creates new KASA space agency, sets sights on the moon and Mars". Space.com. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
  6. ^ "임시 청사 입주 우주항공청, 신청사 입지 결정 초읽기". Seoul Economic Daily (in Korean). 13 November 2024.
  7. ^ "'우주항공 랜드마크' 우주청 신청사 사천 우주항공산단에 건립". Yonhap News. 25 February 2025.
  8. ^ "2032년 독자 달 착륙선 보낸다…달탐사 2단계 사업 본격 추진". Yonhap News (in Korean). 4 November 2024.
  9. ^ "우주청 "차세대발사체 설계 확정된 바 없어"…제원 변경 검토". Yonhap News (in Korean). 29 July 2024.
  10. ^ "'누리호' 이을 차세대 발사체 2조 예산 예타 통과… 목표는 '달 착륙'". Chosun Biz7. 29 November 2022.
  11. ^ a b Byung-wook, Kim (2021-09-26). "LIG Nex1 to develop Korea's own satellite navigation system". The Korea Herald (in Korean). Retrieved 2025-02-24.
  12. ^ Choi, Byung-Kyu; Roh, Kyoung-Min; Ge, Haibo; Ge, Maorong; Joo, Jung-Min; Heo, Moon Beom (2020-10-15). "Performance Analysis of the Korean Positioning System Using Observation Simulation". Remote Sensing. 12 (20): 3365. doi:10.3390/rs12203365. ISSN 2072-4292.
  13. ^ "KASA and NASA sign joint statement to enhance space cooperation". The Chosun Ilbo. 22 September 2024.
  14. ^ "우주항공청, NASA와 '우주 동맹' 강화... 유인 달 탐사 프로젝트등 협력". The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). 22 September 2024.
  15. ^ "우주청 "NASA 및 독일 우주청과 우주 국제협력 논의"". Yonhap News (in Korean). 9 April 2025.
  16. ^ "'뉴스페이스 시대' 우주항공청 개청…"우주강국 이끄는 디딤돌 될것"". The Dong-A Ilbo (in Korean). 27 May 2024.
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