Korean Air Partners with France's Exotrail for New Space Orbit Transfer Vehicle Business

Development of High-Efficiency Orbit Transfer Services Based on Electric Propulsion
Establishing a Comprehensive Business Model from Launch Vehicle Manufacturing to Space Orbit Services

Korean Air announced on April 3 that it had signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with French space company Exotrail for collaboration on a new business in the field of space orbit transfer vehicles (OTV, Orbit Transfer Vehicle).

Kim Kyungnam, Head of Aircraft Technology Research Institute at Korean Air (left), and Jean-Luc Maria, CEO of Exotrail (right), are taking a commemorative photo at the memorandum of understanding signing ceremony on the 2nd. Korean Air

The signing ceremony was held the previous afternoon at Fairmont Ambassador Seoul Hotel in Yeouido, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul.

Through this MOU, the two companies agreed to closely cooperate in several high-value-added space services, including: ▲ low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite transportation and payload hosting, ▲ multi-orbit satellite deployment, and ▲ the development of satellite life extension and refueling services.

The two companies plan to form a joint working group and begin practical discussions on specific launch plans and optimizing the cost structure of orbit transfer services.

An OTV is a solution that precisely transports small satellites, which have separated from large space launch vehicles, to their final target orbits. It corresponds to the 'last mile delivery' in the space transportation sector, referring to the final step in which goods are delivered to customers. After inserting satellites into their target orbits, OTVs provide comprehensive support for stable satellite operation, including in-orbit services such as orbit modification, life extension, refueling, and payload hosting, serving as a core part of space infrastructure.

Recently, demand for launching clusters of small satellites has been on the rise, and as a result, the importance of OTVs—which deploy multiple satellites carried on a single large launch vehicle into different orbits—is increasing. As a technology that maximizes satellite deployment efficiency, OTVs are drawing attention in the future space industry.

Korean Air has accumulated years of experience in the launch vehicle and satellite sectors. The company possesses technologies for designing mission control systems optimized for OTV satellite transportation services, as well as space system structures and control systems. Exotrail has partnered with Korean Air to secure a strategic base for its entry into the Asian market.

With this collaboration, Korean Air plans to absorb demand from both military ultra-small satellite constellation projects and the private commercial satellite sector, and to expand its space transportation business going forward.

A Korean Air official stated, "By combining Exotrail’s proven space heritage with Korean Air’s aerospace and space system manufacturing capabilities, we aim to secure overwhelming technological competitiveness in the future defense and New Space markets."

By entering the OTV business following last year’s initiation of methane engine development for 35-ton-class reusable launch vehicles, Korean Air has now established a comprehensive space transportation business model, spanning from launch vehicle manufacturing to space orbit transfer services.

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