Hanwha Systems (CEO Sung-chul Eo) is securing a private-sector-led satellite production base in Jeju.

Hanwha Systems held a groundbreaking ceremony for the 'Jeju Hanwha Space Center' on the 29th at the former Tamra University site in Jeju Special Self-Governing Province (Governor Oh Young-hoon).

The 'Jeju Hanwha Space Center' to be built on the Seogwipo City Hawon Techno Campus is a satellite development and manufacturing facility with a total floor area of approximately 11,443㎡ (approximately 3,462 pyeong) with one underground floor and two above-ground floors, and is targeted for completion by the end of 2025.

△On the first floor above ground, there will be a facility for testing satellite development, assembly, function, and performance; △On the second floor, there will be a space center control room and office space; △On the first basement floor, there will be a staff cafeteria and auxiliary facilities.

Jeju Hanwha Space Center can produce from four to eight satellites per month by optimizing the production process based on its many years of accumulated space industry experience.

△Thermal vacuum test, which verifies satellite operability in a space environment, and △Near-Field Range test, which tests satellite antenna performance at close range, were installed in duplicate to drastically shorten the time required for each production stage.

As we build additional automated manufacturing and assembly facilities in the future and secure space heritage, the testing process will be improved. It is expected that the streamlining will further increase production capacity.

By establishing a space center, Hanwha Systems is securing a production base for developing and manufacturing satellites led by the private sector, and is preparing to enter the domestic as well as global space market.

The space industry is a representative high value-added industry where cutting-edge technology is applied. Hanwha Systems plans to focus on revitalizing the satellite service industry that utilizes satellite data, such as: △ analysis of vegetation conditions and environmental monitoring of land, water, and forest resources through high-resolution satellite image analysis; △ utilization in disaster and catastrophe surveillance and security fields; △ data analysis for designing geographic information systems (GIS); and △ location-based services (LBS) required for autonomous driving and smart city construction.

Sung-chul Eo, CEO of Hanwha Systems, said, “Jeju Hanwha Space Center will serve as a cradle for satellite development and manufacturing and will create innovative technologies and economic value.” He added, “Hanwha Systems, together with Hanwha Space Hub and capable space powerhouses, will build a space industry value chain encompassing satellite development, manufacturing, launch, control, and service. This will contribute to strengthening national and regional competitiveness and lead the space economy era.”

Meanwhile, Jeju Island is pursuing various activities to become a space industry cluster, such as ▲corporate cooperation for fostering the space industry, ▲training space personnel in various fields, and ▲developing space-related derivative industries, and several private space companies are already carrying out projects.

In the future, if various related companies gather around the Jeju Hanwha Space Center to form a space industry cluster, it is expected to serve as a catalyst for the growth of Jeju Island's space industry ecosystem, along with the effects of creating large-scale jobs, inducing high employment, and revitalizing the local economy.