Held '2nd Aerospace Materials Industry Development Forum'

The Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS) provided a collaborative platform among industry, academia, and research institutions to discuss the direction of advancement in aerospace materials and components technology in preparation for the reusable launch vehicle era.

KIMS announced on the 21st that it held the '2nd Aerospace Materials Industry Development Forum' at its headquarters in Changwon, Gyeongnam on the 18th.

The forum was held under the theme of 'Reusable Launch Vehicle Development and Aerospace Materials and Components Technology for Extreme Space Environments' and was organized to discuss the national space transportation strategy and launch vehicle development trends, as well as the direction of advancement in the aerospace materials industry.

As the global space industry has recently emerged as a strategic national industry, competition in reusable launch vehicle technology is accelerating. Domestically, efforts are underway to establish next-generation space transportation systems and foster private-led space industry development. Accordingly, the importance of materials and components technology capable of responding to high-temperature and cryogenic environments and repeated operations is growing.

The forum was attended by experts from industry, academia, research institutes, and government including the Korea Aerospace Administration, Korea Aerospace Research Institute, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Hyundai Rotem, and Hanwha Aerospace.

Key presentations covered the national space transportation strategy, reusable launch vehicle technology trends, and aerospace industry development plans.

In the 'National Space Transportation Strategy and Launch Vehicle Development' session, Park Soon-young, Reusable Launch Vehicle Program Director at the Korea Aerospace Administration, Han Young-min, Director of the Launch Vehicle Research Institute at Korea Aerospace Research Institute, and Professor Ahn Jae-myung from KAIST delivered presentations.

Subsequently, in the 'Core Launch Vehicle Technology and Materials and Components Development Direction' session, Hyundai Rotem, Hanwha Aerospace, and KIMS introduced the current status of reusable launch vehicle engine and space materials technology development.

KIMS explained that the forum served as a collaboration platform where system companies, research institutes, universities, and the government shared technological needs and research directions, centered on materials and components technology, which is a key factor in launch vehicle competitiveness.

The institute plans to expand research and development on materials and components technology capable of responding to extreme space environments and strengthen cooperation with related agencies and companies to create a domestic aerospace materials industry ecosystem.

Choi Chul-jin, President of KIMS, stated, "In the reusable launch vehicle era, the importance of material durability and reliability, as well as manufacturing and evaluation technology, will continue to increase," and announced that it will continue to expand research for technological independence in aerospace core materials technology.