Innospace, Comprehensive Test Site Completed
The Era of Private Space Industry Officially Opens
Jeollanam-do has announced on the 23rd that Innospace, the first private space launch vehicle company in Korea, held a completion ceremony for its Goheung Comprehensive Test Site in Podeo-myeon, Goheung-eup, marking the official opening of the private space industry era.
At the completion ceremony held the previous day, 150 participants, including Jeonnam Governor Kim Young-rok, National Assembly member Moon Geum-ju, Goheung County Mayor Gong Yeong-min, Innospace CEO Kim Soo-jong, and Park Jae-seong from the Space Agency, celebrated Innospace’s achievements in paving the way for the development of the private space industry.
The Goheung Comprehensive Test Site, covering an area of 33,348㎡ and costing a total of 25.3 billion KRW, includes facilities for testing combustion engines like the 25-ton hybrid and 3-ton liquid (methane) engines, as well as launch pad functionalities and assembly/certification facilities for private-led launch vehicles.
With the completion of the comprehensive test site, Innospace is expected to become a leader in the private space industry by conducting various launch tests for future commercial launches.
Innospace successfully conducted a test launch of its independently developed ‘Hanbit-TLV’ at the Brazilian Space Center in March 2023, and plans the first commercial launch of the ‘Hanbit-Nano,’ carrying five satellites, in the second half of this year.
Innospace, which signed a move-in agreement with Jeonnam-do for the national industrial complex in March last year, plans to establish manufacturing facilities for producing and researching small launch vehicles once the Goheung Space Launch Vehicle National Industrial Complex site is established.
Governor Kim Young-rok stated, “Innospace has proven the new possibilities of Korea’s private space industry through challenges and innovation, going beyond technological independence to become a globally recognized private space company with commercial viability and sustainability. Jeonnam-do will fully support Innospace to grow as a ‘K-Space Champion’ and become a global company.”
Jeonnam-do and Goheung County are actively establishing a space launch vehicle industry cluster centered around the Space Agency and Goheung.
They plan to establish a space launch vehicle industry cluster with a budget of 1.6 trillion KRW by 2031, accelerating related infrastructure developments such as private launch sites, the Space Launch Vehicle National Industrial Complex, a technology commercialization center, a complex space center, and the Space Launch Vehicle Science Complex.
Additionally, efforts are being made to attract a second space center to Goheung, equipped with various launch site infrastructure, including next-generation and reusable launch vehicles.