Korea Aerospace Research Institute
The Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI), headquartered in Daejeon, South Korea, is the nation's principal government aerospace research and development organization — responsible for developing South Korea's launch vehicle technology, Earth observation satellite programs, space exploration initiatives, and aviation research, operating since May 2024 as an affiliated research institute of the Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA).
- Founded
- 1989
- Headquarters
- Daejeon, South Korea
- Ownership
- Subsidiary of Korea AeroSpace Administration
Quick Facts
About Korea Aerospace Research Institute
The Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI), headquartered in Daejeon, South Korea, is the nation's principal government aerospace research and development organization — responsible for developing South Korea's launch vehicle technology, Earth observation satellite programs, space exploration initiatives, and aviation research, operating since May 2024 as an affiliated research institute of the Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA).
Founded in 1989, KARI's signature achievement is the Nuri (KSLV-II) launch vehicle — South Korea's first domestically designed and manufactured orbital rocket, developed entirely without foreign technology transfer assistance following U.S. restrictions on Korean launch vehicle development. Nuri is a three-stage liquid-propellant rocket powered by a cluster of 75-ton-force KRE-075 engines burning liquid oxygen (LOX) and kerosene.
After a partial success in October 2021, Nuri achieved its first successful orbital launch in June 2022, placing a 1.3-ton payload into a 700km sun-synchronous orbit — making South Korea the seventh nation to independently develop and launch a 1+ ton satellite. A third launch in May 2023 successfully deployed the Next Generation Small Satellite-2 (CAS500-2) and multiple cubesats. The Korea Space Launch Vehicle (KSLV-II) program cost approximately 1.96 trillion Korean won ($1.5B USD) and employed over 300 domestic companies.
KARI's KOMPSAT (Korea Multi-Purpose Satellite) program has produced a series of Earth observation satellites since KOMPSAT-1 (1999), progressing through electro-optical, SAR, and hyperspectral imaging satellites. KOMPSAT-3A provides 0.55-meter panchromatic resolution and 2.2-meter multispectral resolution; KOMPSAT-5 delivers X-band SAR imagery. KOMPSAT imagery is used for national security, disaster monitoring, urban planning, and export to international customers.
KARI is developing the Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter (Danuri), South Korea's first lunar mission launched in August 2022 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9, which entered lunar orbit in December 2022 and carries a NASA ShadowCam instrument to image permanently shadowed craters. South Korea's independent launch capability and growing deep space ambitions position KARI as a rising mid-tier space agency alongside JAXA, ISRO, and CSA.
Products and product lines
| Product | Line | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Nuri (KSLV-II) | Launch vehicle | South Korea's three-stage, liquid-fuelled orbital rocket; its fourth flight succeeded on 26 November 2025, launching CAS500-3 and 11 cubesats, for a 3-for-4 flight record. |
| KPS (Korea Positioning System) | Satellite navigation programme | Planned eight-satellite regional navigation constellation (five inclined-orbit, three geostationary) being developed by KARI and KASA with Thales Alenia Space; its Preliminary Design Review led to a partial schedule delay announced in October 2024. |
| Danuri (KPLO) | Lunar orbiter | South Korea's first deep-space mission, operated by KARI since reaching lunar orbit in December 2022 and carrying NASA's ShadowCam instrument. |
| CAS500 series | Earth observation satellite | Compact 500kg-class satellite series; CAS500-3 launched on Nuri's fourth flight on 26 November 2025. |
| Korea Lunar Exploration Program Phase 2 | Lunar lander mission | Follow-on lander mission targeting a 2032 Moon landing on the KSLV-3 rocket; KASA and KARI signed a development agreement on 30 October 2024. |
Timeline
- 2024 The Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA) is established on 27 May as Korea's dedicated space agency, with KARI reorganized as one of its affiliated research institutes. [source]
- 2024 KARI and KASA decide to partially delay the Korea Positioning System's satellite development plan following its Preliminary Design Review in October. [source]
- 2024 KASA and KARI sign an agreement on 30 October to jointly develop a lunar lander targeting a 2032 Moon landing. [source]
- 2025 Korea's National Space Committee selects the Sacheon aerospace industrial complex as the site for KASA's permanent headquarters on 25 February, with occupancy targeted for 2030. [source]
- 2025 KASA holds space-cooperation discussions with NASA and Germany's DLR on 9 April. [source]
- 2025 Nuri's fourth launch succeeds on 26 November, placing the CAS500-3 satellite and 11 cubesats into sun-synchronous orbit. [source]
- 2026 Nuri's fifth launch, carrying a domestic device/component verification satellite and five NEONSAT satellites, is scheduled for 7 October. [source]
Team
- Lee Sang-RyoolPresident · source
Signals
- Verification
- Verified 2026-09-10
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Frequently asked about Korea Aerospace Research Institute
Quick answers to the questions readers most often search for.
- When was Korea Aerospace Research Institute founded?
- Korea Aerospace Research Institute was founded in 1989 in South Korea.
- Where is Korea Aerospace Research Institute headquartered?
- Korea Aerospace Research Institute is headquartered in Daejeon, South Korea.
- What does Korea Aerospace Research Institute do?
- The Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI), headquartered in Daejeon, South Korea, is the nation's principal government aerospace research and development organization — responsible for developing South Korea's launch vehicle technology, Earth observation satellite programs, space exploration initiatives, and aviati…
- What sector does Korea Aerospace Research Institute operate in?
- Korea Aerospace Research Institute works in space agency, Launch services and Satellite manufacturing, plus 1 other space-industry sectors.
Sources
The structured fields on this page (founding year, location, sector, status, listing) and the profile text are drawn from the sources below. How profiles are drafted and checked is described in our methodology.
- Official website (www.kari.re.kr/eng)
- Wikidata / Wikipedia · retrieved 2026-09-04
- Merged duplicate entry kari · retrieved 2026-09-05
- Wikipedia: Korea AeroSpace Administration · retrieved 2026-09-10
- Wikipedia: Nuri (rocket) · retrieved 2026-09-10
- Wikipedia: Korea Positioning System · retrieved 2026-09-10
- Wikipedia: Danuri · retrieved 2026-09-10
Data Accuracy Notice: Information about Korea Aerospace Research Institute is compiled from publicly available sources including company websites, press releases, regulatory filings, and industry reports. Data is reviewed periodically but may not reflect the most recent developments.