Hanwha(000880) Group and KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)) have begun the fifth cohort of "Pebbles of the Universe," a program that nurtures middle school space talent.
Hanwha Group said on the 26th that it held a launch event for the fifth cohort of Pebbles of the Universe at the Hanwha Building in Janggyo-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul, on the 25th. Thirty students selected from first- and second-year middle schoolers nationwide through essay screening and discussion-style interviews are participating.
Through the end of this year, students will receive instruction with faculty from KAIST's department of aerospace engineering under the theme "space technology for Korea." In addition to space science knowledge, they will study the humanities surrounding the space industry, as well as law and institutions, policy, and social change.
In the first course, the "space humanities conference," science communicator Gwido gave a lecture on the theme "coexistence technology in space." The talk introduced technologies needed and challenges to solve for surviving in space over long periods.
Attorney An Young-shin, a space law expert, explained situations that can arise in borderless outer space and related international rules under the theme "which country's law applies in space." A space science talk concert was also held, with Gwido and three KAIST professors answering students' questions.
At the second conference next month, An Hyeong-jun, head of the space public team at the Science and Technology Policy Institute (STEPI), and Kim Sang-gyun, program director of artificial intelligence (AI) business at Kyung Hee University, will serve as speakers. They plan to address policies related to the space industry and social change.
Graduates will receive a certificate of completion signed by the KAIST president and opportunities to take courses and receive mentoring at the KAIST Center for Gifted Education. All participants will also be offered a chance to visit overseas space institutions.
A Hanwha Group official said, "Pebbles of the Universe is significant in that it fosters talent who will lead the future space industry."
Meanwhile, Hanwha Group plans to invest a total of 55 trillion won in the space and aviation and AI industries by 2040 to build an integrated space infrastructure encompassing independent launch vehicles, satellite networks, and defense AI. Recently, it raised its equity stake in Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) to the 13% range and changed its holding purpose to "management participation."