KAI (Korea Aerospace Industries, Ltd.) announced that it signed a business agreement (MOU) with the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) for ‘space and aerospace technology cooperation.’

The agreement signing ceremony held at the KAI Seoul office was attended by KAI President Kang Gu-young, ETRI President Bang Seung-chan, and other key officials from both organizations.

Through this agreement, the two organizations will combine KAI’s diverse space and aerospace product development experience with ETRI’s outstanding research capabilities to:

- Jointly develop and verify 6G low-orbit communication satellites

- Jointly research and develop domestic production of semiconductors for space, aerospace, and defense

- Jointly research and use of aircraft in the AAM field.

The two organizations plan to jointly develop and verify next-generation communication core technologies through strategic technology cooperation on 6G low-orbit satellite communication technology.

Low-orbit communication satellites (altitude 300~1,500km) can provide communication services to all areas of the Earth, including mountainous areas, deserts, seas, and aircraft, overcoming the limitations of existing mobile communication terrestrial networks. Compared to geostationary communication satellites (altitude approximately 35,800km), they are closer to the Earth, resulting in lower propagation loss and delay, and are considered key elements of hyperspace and low-latency 6G communication.

Currently, global space companies such as SpaceX and Amazon are developing the low-orbit communication satellite market in earnest.

Through mutual cooperation, the two organizations will secure independent low-orbit satellite communication network construction technology to prevent overseas dependence on satellite communication services and ensure domestic public services, while also seeking to enter overseas markets.

The two organizations will also work together on domestic development of space, aviation, and defense semiconductors used as core components for aircraft, space probes, and launch vehicles, and future business cooperation such as the Advanced Aircraft Maneuver (AAM).

Space, aviation, and defense semiconductors are advanced technology-intensive semiconductors that guarantee operation even in extreme environments, and require high radiation resistance and durability against extreme temperature changes. Currently, most of the domestic space, aviation, and defense semiconductor technologies depend on overseas countries, so we plan to promote specialized technology research and development to achieve technological independence and stabilize the supply chain.

We plan to demonstrate future mobility operation and data link technologies, such as ETRI's AdAM-P (Advanced Air Mobility Platform) that can be applied to the public transportation sector and 5G technology for drones, using AAM that KAI is developing.

KAI President Kang Gu-young said, "Through mutual cooperation in specialized technology fields between the two organizations, we expect synergy effects such as successful development of 6G low-orbit communication satellites that will become the nation's basic infrastructure, as well as joint research in the space, aviation, and defense semiconductor technology and AAM, which is a future air mobility."

ETRI President Seung-chan Bang said, “The MOU and future technological cooperation between the two organizations has established a bridgehead for securing global leadership in Korea’s 6G low-orbit satellite communications and aerospace semiconductor technologies.”