'Next LG' Embarks on Space Industry Demonstration... Unveils Space-Bound Components for the First Time
Collaboration with Lunar Rover Startup
Camera Modules and More to Be Loaded on Nuri Rocket
Direct Performance Verification in Space
Joint Goal of Lunar Landing by 2032
Koo Kwangmo's Open Innovation Strategy
Concrete Steps Toward Discovering
LG has officially announced its entry into the space industry by equipping space launch vehicles with its own products, such as camera modules. This move is a concrete step in CEO Koo Kwangmo's open innovation strategy for LG Corporation, which aims to accelerate the discovery of future growth engines through collaboration with startups.
On September 17, at the opening of "Superstart Day 2025" held at Magok LG Science Park, LG revealed its plans to demonstrate space industry capabilities in cooperation with Unmanned Exploration Laboratory, the only domestic startup dedicated to lunar rover research and development. LG announced that it will load space components, including camera modules and battery cells, onto the Nuri rocket.
According to the plan, LG’s camera module will be mounted on the fourth launch of the Nuri rocket scheduled for November, and for the fifth launch set for June 2026, LG-manufactured battery cells and an antenna for communication modules will be loaded to undergo direct performance verification in space. By adapting existing mass-produced products for the space environment, this approach is expected to reduce both costs and time, making it a representative example of the private sector-led "New Space" strategy. LG and Unmanned Exploration Laboratory are continuing their collaboration with the shared goal of a lunar landing by 2032.
Through these demonstrations, LG aims to elevate the space industry as a future portfolio for the group. In June, LG discussed the necessity and potential for private sector participation in space with the Korea Aerospace Administration, and in 2016, LG Energy Solution was selected as the supplier of spacesuit batteries for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The verification of LG products in space is considered a critical turning point for expanding new businesses at the group level and for securing global technological competitiveness.
"Superstart Day 2025" also saw the participation of numerous startups in LG's future strategic areas, including robotics, AI, bio, and cleantech. Coras Robotics, a company specializing in robotic arms, exhibited the world’s first integrated robotic hand changer and more than 15 types of grippers. Apla showcased motion capture-based technology that enables robots to learn movements by watching videos. MangoBoost introduced dedicated semiconductor design technology to enhance data center efficiency, Artblood presented biotechnology for producing red blood cells outside the body, and Found Object introduced an online platform for trading recycled plastics. These examples are directly connected to the new growth pillars that LG envisions in AI, bio, and eco-friendly sectors.
During the seminar sessions, Baek Junho, CEO of FuriosaAI, explained the global competitive landscape of artificial intelligence semiconductors. Noh Hongchul, Creative Director of Sweet Spot, shared experiences of creative challenges. These programs reflect LG’s intention to broaden its ecosystem by integrating external innovation into its internal strategies.
Jung Suheon, CEO of LG Science Park, stated, "We will strive to ensure that 'Superstart Day,' which fosters creative innovation, free challenges, and change by startups, can grow into the Korean version of 'Eureka Park' (the CES startup exhibition zone)."
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This event is evaluated not as a simple exhibition, but as a platform where LG directly links its future industry strategies to collaboration with startups, generating tangible results. In particular, technological cooperation spanning space, robotics, AI, bio, and eco-friendly fields is significant as it represents the process of realizing CEO Koo Kwangmo’s blueprint for the "Next LG." Through cooperation with startups, LG plans to build a growth ladder that leads from technology verification to market entry, thereby establishing new growth engines for the group in the long term.
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