Hanwha Systems has joined hands with the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) to take the lead in the '6G low-orbit satellite communication' market, a future civilian communication that enables high-speed, uninterrupted communication anytime, anywhere.

On the 21st, Hanwha Systems signed a business agreement (MOU) with ETRI for ‘6G low-orbit satellite communication system technology development’ at the Hanwha Building in Jung-gu, Seoul.

The signing ceremony was attended by key executives from both organizations, including Hanwha Systems CEO Son Jae-il and Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) President Bang Seung-chan.

Hanwha Systems and ETRI plan to jointly develop basic technologies in various fields, including △6G low-orbit communication satellite development technology, △network technology for multi-layer communication, △space and aviation semiconductor technology, and △intelligent electromagnetic spectrum management technology, which are necessary for realizing domestic 6G low-orbit satellite communications.

6G low-orbit satellite communication is a next-generation advanced communication service that implements 6th generation mobile communication (6G), which is known to be dozens of times faster than 5th generation mobile communication (5G), through low-orbit communication satellites. Because it uses a satellite network that is different from the existing terrestrial network that can only be used on land, it provides communication services without spatial or temporal restrictions, including on land, at sea, and in the air, including remote areas.

In particular, it enables faster and less delayed communication by using low-orbit satellites (altitude 200-2,000 km) that orbit closer to the Earth than the geostationary orbit (altitude 35,000 km or more).

In the future, when 6G low-orbit satellite communications are commercialized domestically, it is expected that ultra-high-speed 6G communications will be freely available on aircraft flying at high altitudes and ships sailing the vast ocean.

The two organizations plan to continue strategic cooperation to secure communications sovereignty by independently establishing the low-orbit satellite communications sector, where overseas companies such as Starlink and Amazon are currently expanding their markets, using purely domestic technology, and to smoothly advance into the global market in the future.

Song Sung-chan, head of Hanwha Systems’ space business division, said, “Through this MOU, Hanwha Systems has been able to take another step toward realizing ultra-high-speed space internet,” and “To enhance the security of the Republic of Korea and the convenience of its citizens, we will continue to develop domestic military and civilian low-orbit satellite communication service technologies and make every effort to export to the global market.”