To respond to extreme weather disasters, 600 billion won will be invested to develop the Cheollian Satellite 5, which will be the first weather satellite developed primarily by the private sector. To avoid the conflicts over intellectual property rights that occurred with the development of next-generation launch vehicles, the government has decided to establish a technology transfer council from the early stages of the Cheollian Satellite 5 development project.
According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, the Korea Aerospace Research Institute, and the aerospace industry on the 2nd, the development plan for the Cheollian Satellite 5 includes a technology transfer management plan.
The Cheollian Satellite 5 is the third geostationary weather satellite developed domestically, following the Cheollian Satellite 1 and Cheollian Satellite 2A. The Cheollian Satellite 1 operated from 2011 to 2020, while the Cheollian Satellite 2A began operations in 2019 and is scheduled to end operations in July 2029. However, the government plans to extend the operation of the Cheollian Satellite 2A until the Cheollian Satellite 5 begins operations.
The Cheollian Satellite 5 will be the next-generation weather satellite responsible for weather observation, succeeding the Cheollian Satellite 2A. After passing the preliminary feasibility study last year, full-scale development will begin this year, with a goal to launch in 2031 and a total investment of 600.8 billion won from the national treasury.
The Cheollian Satellite 1 and 2A were developed under the leadership of the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI). In contrast, the Cheollian Satellite 5 will be developed primarily by the private sector for the first time. The Korea Meteorological Administration and the Korea Aerospace Administration plan to hold a competition to select the lead development agency this month. They will solicit proposals for the main system, body, weather payload, and space weather payload on a task-by-task basis.
The government plans to have the private sector lead the development process of the Cheollian Satellite 5, while transferring key technologies held by government agencies, including KARI, to enhance the capabilities of domestic satellite companies in developing geostationary satellites. While the domestic production rate for components of the Cheollian Satellite 2A was only 46%, there is a goal to increase the domestic production rate to 66% for the Cheollian Satellite 5.
The issue lies in the potential conflicts over intellectual property rights that could arise during the process of transferring many technologies to the private sector. The Korea Aerospace Administration has already faced challenges due to intellectual property conflicts between KARI and Hanwha Aerospace during the development process of next-generation launch vehicles. It is understood that the technologies eligible for transfer to the private sector for the Cheollian Satellite 5 include 63 out of a total of 332 core technologies. Since a significant number of technologies must be transferred to the private sector, there is a considerable likelihood that conflicts over intellectual property rights may arise again.
To avoid repeating the issues from the next-generation launch vehicle development project, the Korea Meteorological Administration and the Korea Aerospace Administration have decided to create a forum to discuss technology transfer issues from the early stages of the Cheollian Satellite 5 development project. Before selecting the lead development agency, KARI will form a technology transfer task force (TF) team. The TF team will discuss technology transfer issues between KARI and private corporations in advance. Once the lead development agency is selected, a technology transfer council composed of the Korea Meteorological Administration, KARI, and the lead development agency will formalize specific technology transfer contracts.
The Korea Aerospace Administration will support the establishment of systems and regulations related to technology transfer in the space sector. If a technology transfer contract fails, alternatives such as commissioning technical services from KARI or introducing foreign technology will be prepared in advance. This plan aims to eliminate unnecessary conflicts over intellectual property rights and technology transfers to ensure the project proceeds without disruption.