South Korea Launches KASA; Space Agency Is Modeled From USA’s NASA

South Korea is progressing in its space exploration endeavors, with the recent launch of its own space agency.

South Korea Launches Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA)

South Korea officially launched a new organization to lead the initiative for its space exploration. Korea Aerospace Administration (KASA), fashioned after NASA in the United States, aims to strengthen the nation's capability for satellite and commercial launches. However, the government has also charged the agency with promoting cutting-edge science and putting spacecraft on Mars by 2045 and the Moon by 2032.

"Scientists who work on the Solar System and space explorations are quite excited," said theoretical astrophysicist Sungsoo Kim of Kyung Hee University.

KASA brings together programs previously dispersed throughout the government under one roof. After taking office in May 2022, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol fulfilled a campaign pledge by creating it. A government plan aims to nearly double investment in space-related activities to 1.5 trillion won ($1.1 billion) over five years from 2022 to 2027. Yoon believes that a stronger space program will improve economic growth.

A large portion of that money would be used to develop technology with commercial applications, such as satellites and rockets. However, KASA is also mandated by the National Space Committee's strategy to support "leading space science research that can contribute to the expansion of human knowledge."

The strategy expands on a previous triumph. The Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter (KPLO), the nation's first space exploration mission, is equipped with five scientific instruments collecting information on the magnetic field, weathering, and permanently shadowed craters on the Moon. Launched in August 2022 atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, the mission's original one-year duration has been extended to 2025. According to Kim, it proves that South Korean scholars can contribute to space science.

Approximately $45 million, or 6% of South Korea's space budget, will be allocated to research and exploration this year. However, further funding is anticipated, and Korean American John Lee, a nearly 30-year NASA official, has been hired by KASA to serve as deputy administrator overseeing missions and research and development. According to Sangwoo Shin, a space policy researcher at the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI), Lee has "extensive experience in scientific missions."

South Korea's Space Missions

South Korea planned to launch two more military surveillance satellites this year to monitor North Korea better. This development may make the inter-Korean space race more tense.

The Defense Acquisition Programme Administration (DAPA) has announced that two synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites will be launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in April and November.

South Korea plans to launch four more surface-to-air reconnaissance (SAR) satellites into orbit by 2025, beginning with an EO/IR satellite in December, in response to North Korea's growing missile and nuclear threats.

While EO/IR satellites can only see through dense clouds and take detailed pictures of the Earth's surface, SAR satellites can collect data utilizing remote sensing technologies regardless of the weather.

DAPA claims that the reconnaissance satellites' cooperative efforts should enable prompt detection of any early warning signs of a potential nuclear or missile attack by North Korea.

True to its words, South Korea successfully launched its second military spy satellite in April. However, North Korea is up with the race as it plans to expand its surveillance capabilities. In fact, North Korea is reportedly already preparing to launch its second spy satellite just months after it launched its first military reconnaissance satellite in November.

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