KSLV-III is a medium orbit geostationary launch vehicle currently under development in South Korea, with the goal of its first launch in 2030.
In February 2018, the Ministry of Science and ICT held a National Space Committee meeting and announced the 3rd Basic Plan for the Promotion of Space Development. [1] In the launch vehicle sector, in order to establish a self-powered launch service foundation, a plan was established to foster a launch service ecosystem based on Nuri in the first stage from 2021 to 2025, and to secure price competitiveness through a domestic satellite launch mass production system in the second stage from 2026 to 2030. [1]
On November 29, 2022, the MSIT held a meeting of the National Research and Development Project Evaluation Committee and passed the preliminary feasibility study for the Next-Generation Launch Vehicle Development Project; [2] it was decided to develop the next-generation launch vehicle, KSLV-III, by investing 2.132 trillion won from 2023 to 2032. [3]
In March 2024, Hanwha Aerospace was selected as the preferred bidder for the government-commissioned Next-Generation Launch Vehicle Development Project Launch Vehicle General Production project, passing the technology capability suitability assessment. [4]
Compared to Nuri, which was developed in June 2021, KSLV-III is more advanced in comprehensive propulsion performance. Nuri's first stage thrust is 300 tons generated by four 75 tons liquid engines, but that of KSLV is 500 tons. [3]
The KSLV-III's payload is over 10 tons, and it can be used to build a space station or assemble a lunar lander. Methane engines, hydrogen engines, launch vehicle reuse research, and solid booster technology are also being handled by the KSLV-III project. [5]
In November 2022, the MSIT announced that "unlike Naro-1 and Nuri, which were developed under the leadership of the Korea Aerospace Research Institute, we plan to enter into joint design of the KSLV-III with a system integration company." [3]
One of the most important missions is to transport the lunar lander. It can send a 1.8-ton object to the moon. The launch vehicle is scheduled to be launched three times in total, and the main plan is as follows: [3]
The preliminary model of the lunar lander will not carry any lunar exploration equipment and will only land on the moon. The final model, scheduled for launch in 2032, is expected to carry various exploration equipment. [3]
The H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV), also called Kounotori, is an expendable Japanese automated cargo spacecraft designed for International Space Station (ISS) resupply missions, particularly the Kibō Japanese Experiment Module (JEM).
The Lunar Precursor Robotic Program (LPRP) is a NASA program that uses robotic spacecraft to prepare for future crewed missions to the Moon. The program gathers data such as lunar radiation, surface imaging, areas of scientific interest, temperature and lighting conditions, and potential resource identification.
The Korea Aerospace Research Institute, established in 1989, is the aeronautics and space agency of South Korea. Its main laboratories are located in Daejeon, in the Daedeok Science Town. KARI's vision is to continue building upon indigenous launch capabilities, strengthen national safety and public service, industrialize satellite information and applications technology, explore the Moon, and develop environmentally-friendly and highly-efficient cutting-edge aircraft and core aerospace technology. Current projects include the KSLV-2 launcher. Past projects include the 1999 Arirang-1 satellite. The agency was founded in 1989. Prior to South Korea's entry into the Institute for Advanced Engineering (IAE) in 1992, it focused primarily on aerospace technology. As of May 2024, KARI is an affiliated research institute of the Korea AeroSpace Administration.
Naro-1, previously designated the Korea Space Launch Vehicle or KSLV, was South Korea's first carrier rocket, and the first South Korean launch vehicle to achieve Earth orbit. On January 30, 2013, the third Naro-1 vehicle built successfully placed STSAT-2C into low Earth orbit.
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