Hanwha Systems Selected as Prime Contractor for Space Exploration Platform Design... Embarks on 'Sohaengseong' Asteroid Exploration

Participation in the Asteroid Apophis Exploration Project

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Jin-ho] Hanwha Systems is officially participating in an asteroid exploration project involving an asteroid making its closest approach to Earth in 20,000 years.

On the 30th, Hanwha Systems announced that it has been selected as the preferred negotiation partner for the "Space Exploration Standard Platform System Design," jointly promoted by the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute and the Korea Aerospace Research Institute.

Hanwha Systems will be responsible for drafting the blueprint for space exploration projects such as asteroid exploration and lunar landing, which are being planned primarily by the government-funded research institutions KASI and KARI.

The Apophis asteroid exploration project was submitted for preliminary feasibility study by the Ministry of Science and ICT on the 3rd. Apophis, an asteroid approximately 370 meters in size?about 1.5 times the height of the 63 Building?will pass 31,600 km above Earth in April 2029, seven years from now. An asteroid over 300 meters passing so close to Earth is an event that occurs once every several thousand to as long as 20,000 years.

As Apophis approaches Earth, it is expected to undergo significant changes such as an increase in orbital diameter and a tilt in its rotational axis due to gravitational effects. The goal of the Apophis exploration is to launch a "space probe made with domestic technology" using a "domestically developed launch vehicle" to observe and photograph these changes.

If the Apophis exploration proceeds as planned, it is expected to make a significant academic contribution to elucidating the evolutionary history of the solar system, alongside the advancement of South Korea's space exploration technology.

Hanwha Systems is designing the space exploration standard platform. This blueprint can be widely utilized if projects such as Apophis exploration or lunar landing are pursued. Hanwha Systems will be responsible for the overall system, incorporating Hanwha Corporation's high-efficiency propulsion system technology and Satrec Initiative's lightweight electronic system technology. This means that the advanced technologies of the "Space Hub," which brings together Hanwha Group's space industry, will be fully mobilized.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.