The Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute (KERI) has announced on the 31st that it has transferred its electric powertrain technology to the country’s only ‘Rover’ manufacturing company, Unmanned Exploration Lab (UEL). Rovers are vehicles that can conduct both manned and unmanned missions to analyze terrain, temperature, and other environmental factors, as well as perform resource exploration on the surfaces of the moon and planets. As part of the domestic space development roadmap, Korea plans to develop a lunar exploration lander by 2032, with the Rover considered as one of the payloads to carry out various scientific missions.
However, the core component of the Rover, known as the ‘electric powertrain,’ is still largely dependent on imports, making technological independence an urgent task. An electric powertrain transmits electrical power from the battery to the wheels and is composed of components like the battery, converter, inverter, motor, and controller.
These key components for Rovers are more than ten times more expensive than their industrial counterparts. Procurement schedules must be planned at least six months in advance, and due to national regulations, some items cannot be purchased at all. Therefore, domestic production of electric powertrains is essential for the advancement of the aerospace industry.
KERI’s Aviation Mobility Propulsion Research Team recently completed a technology transfer agreement for the electric powertrain drive module used in UEL’s Rovers. The two organizations plan to continue joint research even after the technology transfer, working together with various academic and research institutions to elevate the Rover’s core components to international standards.
Lee Ji-young, the team leader of KERI’s Aviation Mobility Propulsion Research Team, stated, “Our team has been highly recognized in the domestic aviation mobility sector for our lightweight, thermally stable electric powertrain technology, and our strong intent and efforts to expand into space have been acknowledged, leading to our partnership with UEL. The collaboration system between UEL, developing the lunar exploration Rover system, and KERI, developing the core components, is well established, and we will also cooperate on securing major government projects.”