Global conference on space research kicks off in South Korea

BUSAN — A global conference on space research kicked off in South Korea’s Busan city on Monday to foster international scientific research in space, officials said.

About 3,000 space scientists and industry officials from 60 nations attended the 45th Scientific Assembly of the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR), according to the Korea Aero Space Administration (KASA), reported Yonhap news agency.

The attendees include Pam Melroy, deputy administrator of the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and Hitoshi Kuninaka, director general of Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s Institute of Space and Astronautical Science.

It marks the first time that South Korea is hosting the biennial global conference.

In the opening ceremony, Yoon Young-bin, head of KASA, said South Korea will continue to invest in innovative space research projects to expand its capabilities in space exploration and contribute to peaceful space cooperation between different nations.

“Many Korean companies have the potential to compete in the global space market and KASA plans to provide much support to them to help private industry lead space development,” Yoon said.

Pascale Ehrenfreund, president of COSPAR, said South Korea has “ambitious” plans for space and the country has been a “strong partner” in space research.

She also welcomed the establishment of KASA, which was launched in May to foster the growth of the country’s space industry, saying stronger support for local space ventures and various activities is expected.

On the sidelines of the conference, KASA held bilateral meetings with its counterparts from the United States, Japan, the United Arab Emirates, China and other countries as part of efforts to expand its global network in the space sector and discover new joint research projects.

A special exhibit by Korean space companies also took place, with the Korea Astronomy & Space Science Institute, the Korea Aerospace Research Institute and multiple Korean space companies, such as Korea Aerospace Industries, in attendance.

Boryung Corp., a Korean healthcare and space company, introduced its plan to invest in space healthcare solutions to look after the members of the human race that travel in and explore space.

Boryung created a joint venture with US space station developer Axiom Space last year as part of its push to develop its space infrastructure.

Korea Aerospace Industries unveiled a mock-up of its space vehicle designed to explore L4, one of the five Lagrange points about 380,000 kilometres from Earth, for the first time.

Lagrange points are positions in space where the gravitational forces of a two-body system like the sun and Earth create areas of stability, allowing spacecraft to conduct exploration missions with minimal fuel consumption.

L4 exploration is one of the projects KASA plans to focus on as part of its efforts to become a global space power, along with the development of reusable space rockets and exploration of the moon and Mars.