▷ Korea’s first space company to develop technology for “reusable unmanned spacecraft” ▷ Hanwha Group signed a memorandum of understanding with a consortium of 13 universities including Seoul National University. ▷ Cost reduction and rapid mission deployment sought after competitively by countries such as the U.S. and China, among others.

Hanwha Group’s space business consortium “Space Hub” is taking on the challenge to develop “reusable unmanned spacecraft” technology. Space Hub announced on the 28th that it has recently signed a memorandum of understanding for research cooperation with a consortium of 13 universities led by Seoul National University for development of reusable unmanned spacecraft technology.

Hanwha is Korea's first space company to venture into development of reusable unmanned spacecraft technology.

A "reusable unmanned spacecraft" refers to a spacecraft that is launched into space on a space launch vehicle and, after reaching space, is capable of long-duration flight with its own propulsion system. It is designed to perform various missions in space such as observation, research, and national defense. After completing a mission and returning to Earth, a spacecraft can re-enter space multiple times using a space launch vehicle.

Reusability allows for cost reduction in launch expenditures, and enables faster and more frequent mission deployments, with space-faring powerhouses like the U.S. and China taking competitive stances in developing this technology.

At a recent memorandum of understanding ceremony with Seoul National University, Space Hub discussed details for development of basic technologies for “reusable unmanned spacecraft”, including ▲ co-participation in research laboratories and detailed tasks and ▲ maximum cooperation of mutual technical and sales capabilities.

The signing ceremony was attended by Hanwha Aerospace CEO Shin Hyun-woo, as well as executives from the three Hanwha Space Hub affiliates, Hong Yu-seok, Dean of the College of Engineering at Seoul National University, and Professor Kim Chong-Am at the Department of Aerospace Engineering in Seoul National University. Their attendance added significance to the first business partnership.

Hanwha Aerospace CEO Shin Hyun-woo said that he believes that the company has taken the first step towards developing space vehicles beyond launch vehicles through the reusable unmanned spacecraft specialized center project. He added that with Hanwha's technological capabilities in the space industry and the support of competent academic infrastructure and scholarly expertise, the company can narrow the gap with powerhouse countries more quickly.

Hong Yu-seok, Dean of the College of Engineering at Seoul National University said that he would prepare a business proposal through organic cooperation with each affiliate of the Hanwha Space Hub, and after winning the project successfully, he would do his best to ensure the smooth progress of the project based on Seoul National University's experience in operating specialized centers.

Professor Kim Chong-Am of the Department of Aerospace Engineering said that the fact that he has embarked on the reusable unmanned spacecraft project marks a major achievement in itself, and based on the mutual cooperation with the university consortium and Hanwha Space Hub, he is committed to prepare a proposal preparation process and strive for project attraction. If this project is successfully promoted in the future, he said that he will perform solid basic technology research to promote development into applied research through industry-academia cooperation.

All the while, the "Reusable Unmanned Space Vehicle Advanced Technology Specialized Research Center" project is a project to secure essential technologies related to the "reusable unmanned space vehicle (RUSV)" under the management of the Korea Research Institute for Defense Technology Planning and Advancement (KRIT). A consortium of 11 universities including Seoul National University and the Hanwha Space Hub jointly participated in the proposal work, and the submission of the proposal was concluded on the 26th. The research center is expected to be opened after September, following the proposal review and other detailed procedures.