The Korea AeroSpace Administration sent a public-private joint delegation to the United States to help Korean space corporations enter the U.S. market. The Korea AeroSpace Administration said on the 27th that a delegation led by Vice Administrator Noh Kyung-won, Director General, will visit major local institutions and corporations to broaden the foundation for cooperation.
The joint delegation included 14 corporations: Nara Space Technology, Korean Air Lines, DN Solutions, SpaceLab, FRD, NDT Engineering, INNOSPACE, K-Mash, CosmoB, Perigee Aerospace, Hanyang ENG, HANCOM InSpace, Hanwha Aerospace, and Hyundai Rotem.
Starting with a visit to NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the delegation will go on to Blue Origin, SpaceX, and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). The Korea AeroSpace Administration said the itinerary is focused on directly reviewing the latest operating methods in launch vehicles and space exploration and the private-led ecosystem, while seeking channels for cooperation.
As the first item on the schedule, the delegation visited the Kennedy Space Center on the 26th to inspect on site the United States' space launch vehicle operating system and the status of facilities opened to the private sector. They then visited Blue Origin's large-scale rocket assembly plant in a nearby industrial complex, examined the assembly process for the large airframe of the reusable launch vehicle "New Glenn," and confirmed an efficient, private-centered manufacturing system.
The delegation will also visit SpaceX's production and assembly facilities to meet with officials and explore possibilities for technical cooperation, and plans to hold meetings with Korean American scientists at NASA JPL.
Noh Kyung-won, Vice Administrator of the Korea AeroSpace Administration, said, "It is significant that domestic corporations can gain practical knowledge and networks at world-class sites," adding, "We will further expand international cooperation activities so that private corporations can grow into key partners in the global space industry."