The Space Technology Utilization Promotion Support Project was held to gather on-site opinions and discuss its direction. The project aims to provide support for the commercialization and startup ecosystem in the space industry and enhance technological commercialization support.
The event was attended by 10 domestic universities interested in the commercialization and startups of space technology. They discussed the issues faced in the process of discovering, planning, and conducting R&D on technology for commercialization, and the necessary support required.
The Space Agency emphasized creating a globally recognized, private sector-led space industry ecosystem as a core policy task by fostering organic cooperation between the private sector and the government. In line with the New Space era, there is an increasing need to transition into a self-sustaining space industry ecosystem. Therefore, the “Space Technology Utilization Promotion Support Project (R&D)” will be newly launched in 2026 to encourage technology utilization and entrepreneurship.
The project has a total budget of 48 billion won (2026-2030). It is specifically tailored for the space field and features a step-by-step support system from planning through advanced R&D to subsequent linkage based on public research and technological achievements from universities and research institutes.
The first phase supports 80 planning projects to identify promising technologies and establish business models to verify their market suitability and potential for commercialization. This phase lays the groundwork for linking subsequent R&D projects.
The second phase adopts a competitive approach based on the plans established in the first phase to select excellent technologies. It will support the development of advanced business models, commercialization R&D, and prototype production. The support scale is about 1 billion won per year (up to two years), with plans to support a total of 20 commercialization R&D projects.
Through this support, the Space Agency intends to discover research outcomes that have remained at the experimental level and connect them to commercialization, continuously strengthening the domestic space industry ecosystem.
Kang Kyung-in, Head of the Space Science Exploration Division at the Space Agency, stated, “We will actively support the transition of the domestic space industry to be led by private companies and enhance global competitiveness in the space economy by expanding communication at the research site and listening to diverse opinions from researchers.”