With the profitable fourth launch of the Nuri rocket opening the period of private-led business area, home protection small and medium enterprises are specializing in the area trade as a brand new development engine and are dedicating themselves to creating associated applied sciences. As precision mechanical and digital applied sciences and communication gear possessed by home small and medium protection firms are linked to aerospace element manufacturing expertise, the defense-space convergence market is anticipated to broaden.
Navigation and anti-jamming answer protection firm Duksan Nepcores plans to make use of public providing funds after its KOSDAQ itemizing for analysis and growth (R&D) of anti-jamming processing units and miniaturization of anti-jamming satellite tv for pc navigation receivers.
Anti-jamming processing units are protection digital gear designed to forestall GPS and satellite tv for pc navigation indicators from being distorted or blocked by radio interference. Satellite tv for pc navigation receivers present correct navigation data even in excessive environments resembling ultra-high velocity, excessive acceleration, extraordinarily low temperature, and excessive temperature. Duksan Nepcores has provided satellite tv for pc navigation receivers to Nuri rockets from the first to 4th launches. The corporate grew to become the primary home printed circuit board meeting (PBA) manufacturing firm to acquire the best grade “Gold” certification for the Nationwide Aerospace and Protection Contractors Accreditation Program (NADCAP). PBA, the method of assembling circuit boards with built-in digital elements, is an important issue figuring out the reliability of area, aerospace, and protection gear.
The corporate is especially specializing in low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites that orbit Earth at altitudes of 500-2,000km, that are thought-about important expertise for 6G. Since LEO satellites are characterised by forming clusters of tons of to hundreds of satellites, light-weight and miniaturization expertise that may be mounted on small satellites is essential. In South Korea, the Know-how Growth Mission for Securing Industrial Competitiveness in Low Earth Orbit Satellite tv for pc Communications handed preliminary feasibility research in Could final yr, taking its first steps. Hwang Tae-ho, CEO of Duksan Nepcores, stated, “References are essential within the area trade, and since our firm’s merchandise have been mounted on all Nuri launch autos, we have now precedence to take part when associated initiatives emerge,” forecasting, “When low earth orbit satellites change into energetic sooner or later, dozens of satellites might be launched yearly, producing associated gross sales of roughly 10 billion gained every year.” Duksan Nepcores began as Hanyang Navicom, established in 1996. Duksan Group, which had been watching these technological capabilities, acquired a 59.97% stake (9.15 million and 838 shares) in Nepcores for about 37.2 billion gained in 2021.
Home protection actuator firm M&C Resolution views area enterprise as one axis of future development sectors and is pursuing growth of area launch car and satellite tv for pc elements.
The corporate is creating strong propellant actuators, units that management and function engines and nozzles of strong gas propulsion methods in area launch autos. It plans to broaden its enterprise scope to incorporate liquid propellant actuators and reusable launch car actuators sooner or later.
Protection aerospace firm Xenoco can also be pursuing growth of X-band transmitters for satellite tv for pc payload via the next-generation medium satellite tv for pc growth challenge with the Korea Aerospace Analysis Institute.
Protection SMEs have chosen the area trade as a brand new development engine due to its excessive development potential.
Based on world market analysis group Inside Market Analysis Consulting (IMARC), South Korea’s area launch service market dimension is anticipated to achieve $815.88 million by 2033 from $312.56 million in 2024. The compound annual development fee (CAGR) for this era is 11.25%.
The Korea Aerospace Analysis Institute’s report Small Satellite tv for pc Market Developments and Strategic Implications launched on Nov. 25 forecasted that a mean of roughly 1,011 small satellites might be launched yearly over the following 10 years, and the small satellite tv for pc launch market will attain $17.6 billion by 2029.
Nevertheless, specialists unanimously agreed that the foundational infrastructure of the home area trade ecosystem is insufficient and desires enchancment. They identified that an ecosystem that fails to embody gamers from varied fields past satellites and launch autos can not assure the trade’s sustainability.
Accordingly, the Korea AeroSpace Administration plans to broaden funding areas focusing on growth-stage firms from 2026. The finances for subsequent yr’s New Area Fund challenge, which helps SMEs that can change into the foundational soil of the area trade, has been elevated to 100 billion gained, a 28-fold surge in comparison with this yr’s 3.5 billion gained. An trade official added, “Help for early-stage expertise firms within the area sector will play a pivotal function in driving innovation and development within the home area trade.”
