Hanwha's Space Genius Nurturing Project 'Ujuui Joyakdol' Bears First Fruit

by Jeong Donghoon

Published 06 Jan.2023 10:10(KST)

'Space Hub' - KAIST Department of Aerospace Engineering Education Program 1st Cohort of 29 Graduates

The first cohort of "Pebbles of the Universe" students are conducting a project on the theme "If We Lived on the Moon" together with KAIST faculty members. Photo by Hanwha

[Asia Economy Reporter Donghoon Jeong] Hanwha announced on the 6th that 29 first and second-year middle school graduates who participated in the first cohort of ‘Ujuui Joyakdol (Pebbles of the Universe)’ will hold a completion ceremony along with project presentations on the theme ‘If We Lived on the Moon’ conducted over six months.

‘Ujuui Joyakdol’ is a Korean version of NASA’s space school designed for experiential education for middle school students, jointly created by Hanwha’s space consortium ‘Space Hub’ and the Department of Aerospace Engineering at KAIST.

The program consists of a conceptual design process where students independently carry out all stages from research topic selection to logical concretization and completion, a curriculum integrating science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, and a space humanities conference incorporating history, literature, and philosophy. Hanwha covers all costs related to the education.

Professor Daeyoung Lee of KAIST’s Department of Aerospace Engineering evaluated, “It was a bold challenge unlike any other educational program, where the children themselves create problems like real researchers and find answers to those problems.”

The first cohort of Ujuui Joyakdol was conducted from July to December last year with the help of eight current professors from KAIST’s Department of Aerospace Engineering and mentors from master’s and doctoral programs.

At the completion ceremony on the 7th, students will present ideas in various fields such as ‘Origami-type Lunar Exploration Base,’ ‘Flying Mining Robot,’ and ‘Mirror Satellite Solar Power Generation,’ and showcase the concretized results.

Professor Eunji Jeon of KAIST, who designed the program, said, “It was an enjoyable six months watching teenagers’ longing and imagination for space become concrete through meeting KAIST experts.”

All first cohort students will visit the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Space Education Center and Tokyo Dome City Space Museum, receive enrollment rights at KAIST’s Gifted Education Center, expert career consulting, and a completion certificate from the KAIST president.

Hanwha and KAIST plan to continuously nurture talents who will engage in Korea’s space research and industry in the future. They aim to contribute to securing national-level space competitiveness by cultivating space experts who will actually participate in the government’s recent plans for lunar exploration in 2032 and Mars landing in 2045.

A Hanwha Space Hub official stated, “We plan to increase support for educational infrastructure to continuously foster youth who will lead Korea’s space research and industry.”