Backed by a KRW 49 billion budget and overseen by the Korea Research
Institute for Defense Technology Planning and Advancement (KRIT), the program
will run through October 2030.
More than 70 representatives from the government, academia and industry
attended today’s kick-off meeting in Daejeon. Participants included officials
from the Ministry of National Defense, the Defense Acquisition Program
Administration (DAPA), KRIT, and technical partners such as Doosan Enerbility,
Perigee Aerospace, the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology, and leading
universities including Seoul National University, Kookmin University and Pusan
National University. The meeting reviewed development tasks, technical
validation procedures and risk-management plans essential to the program’s
success.
Methane engines are increasingly being recognized as the preferred
choice for reusable launch systems due to their high combustion efficiency and
cleaner burn. Unlike kerosene-based engines, methane engines generate far less
soot, making them well suited for repeated launches. Leading global aerospace
companies such as SpaceX and Blue Origin have already adopted methane engines
for their launch systems.
Korean Air will lead the development of the engine’s turbopump, a core
component often described as the heart of the propulsion system. The turbopump
compresses liquid methane and oxidizer at extremely high pressures and speeds.
Its development requires advanced engineering capable of handling cryogenic
temperatures of -180°C to several hundred degrees, while rotating tens of
thousands of times per minute.
“We are mobilizing our aerospace expertise to develop a
high-performance, highly reliable turbopump optimized for methane engines,”
said Kyungnam Kim, Head of Korean Air’s Aerospace R&D Center. “This project
will help strengthen Korea’s space industry ecosystem and support the development
of military satellite launch vehicles and future national defense needs.”
“Developing a methane engine is a crucial step toward positioning Korea
as a leader in space defense,” said Jae Hong Son, President of KRIT. “KRIT will
fully support the program by building an innovative R&D framework and a
robust defense-space ecosystem to ensure successful completion.”
The technologies developed through this program will be instrumental in
bolstering Korea’s national defense capabilities and establishing a strategic
foundation for the country’s rapidly growing commercial “New Space” sector.
Tags: Kyungnam Kim, Head of Korean Air’s Aerospace R&D Center, Korean Air
