The Chinese crewed spacecraft Shenzhou 15 is launched aboard the Long March 2F rocket. China competes with the United States in the space sector and has successfully built its own ecosystem, also showing remarkable achievements in the reusable launch vehicle technology field./Courtesy of YouTube

China, which has been actively investing in the space industry while shouting about "space power," is emerging as America’s strongest competitor. The Chinese government’s active investment in the space industry, along with its independently built space industry ecosystem, is cited as a strength. In contrast, South Korea, which declared the nurturing of its space industry ecosystem under the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, has faced political turmoil just when it needed to accelerate, bringing it to a sudden halt.

China is actively supporting its space corporations centered around the China National Space Administration (CNSA) and China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), securing technology and infrastructure. It is particularly seen as the fastest pursuer in the field of reusable launch vehicles, which is practically monopolized by SpaceX.

CNSA successfully developed the Long March, China’s main launch vehicle, to construct its independent space station, Tiangong. China showcased a spacewalk lasting 9 hours on the 18th of last month, setting a world record for the longest, and successfully collected soil from the far side of the moon before the United States.

Space corporations backed by the Chinese government are also ramping up efforts to develop reusable launch vehicles. China's deep blue aerospace conducted a test flight for the vertical recovery of the reusable Nebula-1 on September 1 of last year. Nebula-1 flew to about 5 kilometers in the air but fell over and exploded during the final stage after losing its balance. However, since the landing was successful, it was evaluated that considerable reusable launch vehicle technology had been secured. Deep Blue Aerospace is expected to retry the test flight of Nebula-1 this year.

China’s state-owned aerospace corporation, Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), is also developing the reusable launch vehicle, Haolong. Haolong is a reusable launch vehicle for cargo transportation resembling NASA's space shuttle. A test flight for Haolong is scheduled for launch next year. Additionally, Space Pioneer and Galactic Energy are gaining attention in the fields of reusable launch vehicles and small launch vehicles.

China currently has over 430 space corporations, and dozens of commercial launches have already been successfully completed. Building upon its space industry ecosystem, China is preparing for the construction of an unmanned lunar base in 2027 and a manned lunar exploration by 2030. Ahn Hyung-jun, head of the Space Public Team at the Science and Technology Policy Institute (STEPI), noted, "China is catching up quickly with the U.S. in the launch vehicle sector and is ahead of Europe in the number of commercial launches. Given that it has developed its space industry based on a large domestic market, we need to see how much it can expand into the overseas market."

In order to hinder China's space ambitions, the United States legislated the 'Wolf Amendment' in 2011. This law prevents the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) from collaborating with the Chinese government or corporations using government funds. It was a measure to exclude China from various space development projects led by the United States. However, as China quickly catches up by developing its reusable launch vehicle technology independently, such "delaying measures" are losing their effectiveness.

While China is rapidly acquiring space technology, South Korea is stagnating. The National Space Commission, which is supposed to decide the direction of major space development projects like next-generation launch vehicles and lunar landers, has not convened. The National Space Commission is chaired by the president, and due to the suspension of the duties of President Yoon Suk-yeol and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, there is a leadership vacuum. Initially scheduled for last December, it has yet to set a date for the meeting after being postponed.

An official from the Korea Aerospace Administration stated, "We plan to hold the National Space Committee soon," adding, "However, I cannot confirm whether items related to next-generation launch vehicles and lunar landers will be brought up."

Even if the National Space Committee convenes, uncertainties regarding the advancement of major space development projects may arise depending on President Yoon's impeachment or regime change. Currently, there are complaints that the next-generation launch vehicle development project is not progressing properly due to the conflict over intellectual property rights between Hanwha Aerospace and Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) as well as the failed convocation of the National Space Committee. An official from a startup in the space sector stated, "While the Korea Aerospace Administration was launched last year and many blueprints were proposed in the field of space development, nothing has been realized properly even after half a year. As competing nations advance, South Korea remains stagnant, increasing anxiety in the industry."