Korea's space development policy is shifting toward revitalizing the space economy through the acquisition of reusable launch vehicle technology in line with the privately-led New Space era. A reusable launch vehicle is a rocket that can reduce launch expenses by being used multiple times for the first stage, similar to SpaceX's Falcon 9. The Nuri rocket, developed domestically, is a disposable launch vehicle that can only be used once.
The Korea AeroSpace Administration held a public hearing on the '4th Basic Plan for Promoting Space Development Revision' at the Institute for Basic Science (IBS) Science Culture Center on 3rd, where it announced the proposed revision plan. The Basic Plan for Promoting Space Development is the highest-level comprehensive long-term policy in Korea's space sector.
The 4th Basic Plan for Promoting Space Development contains plans for space development from 2023 to 2027. The space agency plans to revise existing core matters such as excellent transportation, space governance, and legal frameworks to adapt to changes in the environment.
The core of this revision plan is to develop the next-generation launch vehicle directly into a reusable launch vehicle and to transition the fuel from 'kerosene' to 'methane.' Methane has been evaluated as suitable for reuse due to its clean combustion capability and competitive performance.
Park Soon-young, head of the Korea AeroSpace Administration's reusable launch vehicle program, noted at the public hearing that 'while the existing plan estimated public demand at about 50 launches per year, there will be a need for over 100 launches a year in the mid to late 2030s,' adding that 'it is impossible to handle this with disposable launch vehicles like the Nuri.' In reality, single-use disposable launch vehicles are limited to about 10 launches per year, while the reusable Falcon 9 was launched over 130 times last year.
The space agency expects that reusable launch vehicles using methane fuel can simultaneously promote the launch of lunar landing ships and the development of reuse technology by 2032, enhancing efficiency. Other countries are also developing in the same direction. Following SpaceX's application of methane engines to its reusable launch vehicle 'Starship,' Russia's 'Amur,' India's 'NGLV,' and Europe's 'Ariane Next' are also applying methane to their next-generation launch vehicles.
The need for various scientific missions through reusable launch vehicles and the nurturing of the space industry were also emphasized. Lee Jae-jin, a senior researcher at the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI), said, 'We need to maintain plans so that many space exploration science missions for launch vehicles can be discovered.' Jang Dong-pil, a researcher at the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI), stated, 'We must reflect civilian demand, including satellite communications, and the government and industry should cooperate long-term to support overseas expansion.'
Support for the space industry and policy flexibility were also cited as major tasks. Kwak Shin-woong, president of the Korean Society of Defense Space Studies (Korea University professor), emphasized that 'an industrialization strategy should be established that reflects the opinions of corporations,' while Jeong Hoon, chief technology officer of INNOSPACE, noted that 'in the era of the space economy, policies should focus on industry rather than showcasing space technology.'
The space agency plans to accelerate workforce training and infrastructure expansion with this revision. Initiatives such as establishing private launch sites, a second space center, training of convergence talents in aerospace and artificial intelligence (AI), attracting excellent foreign scientists, and operating future space education centers are being promoted. The Nuri rocket is planned to continuously launch once a year focused on public demand after securing reliability through six repeated launches by 2027.