"Essential Technology for Next-Generation Communication"…Low Earth Orbit Satellite Communication Preliminary Feasibility Study Reapplied

Ministry of Science and ICT Establishing Preliminary Feasibility Study Plan

The Ministry of Science and ICT is reapplying for a preliminary feasibility study on research and development aimed at exporting low Earth orbit satellite communication technology.

An official from the Ministry of Science and ICT stated, "We are establishing a plan for a preliminary feasibility study on low Earth orbit satellite communication linked with next-generation communication standards."

The government’s test launch of low Earth orbit communication satellites, necessary for the introduction of next-generation 6G, is scheduled for 2027. Accordingly, the Ministry of Science and ICT has been applying for preliminary feasibility studies from 2021 until last year, aiming to secure core technologies in five areas including communication payloads, satellite bodies, and ground stations (gateways), with a total project budget of 590 billion KRW by 2031, but has faced repeated setbacks.

Currently, the launch competition among global low Earth orbit satellite communication companies such as SpaceX, OneWeb, Amazon, and Telesat, along with support from various governments, is intensifying. As the market size expands, there is growing concern that it may become even more difficult for domestic companies, which are in the early stages of entry, to enter the global market.

The recent emergence of movements combining low Earth orbit satellite technology with terrestrial mobile communication industries is also identified as a factor that cannot delay research and development of low Earth orbit satellite communication.

This is because the fact that low Earth orbit satellite technology is essential for the introduction of next-generation 5G and 6G is becoming a reality, not just a simple forecast.

Meanwhile, SpaceX, which announced it will start low Earth orbit satellite communication 'Starlink' service domestically from the fourth quarter, is expected to initially use ground stations installed in Japan to provide domestic service.

The Ministry of Science and ICT, which requested SpaceX to supplement materials for domestic core telecommunications operator registration, is currently conducting a final review of the possibility of domestic frequency interference and congestion with the satellite frequencies used by this company.

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