KARI

The Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) is South Korea's national aerospace research organization, founded in 1989 and headquartered in Daejeon. KARI is responsible for developing South Korea's rockets, satellites, and aerospace technology. The agency achieved a major milestone in 2022 when its KSLV-II Nuri rocket successfully reached orbit on its second launch, making South Korea the seventh nation capable of launching a 1-tonne payload with a domestically developed rocket. Nuri's third launch in May 2023 deployed a commercial satellite, NEXTSAT-2, marking the start of operational service. KARI is developing the KSLV-III, a next-generation rocket designed to launch lunar payloads by the late 2020s. The agency's space science program includes the KOMPSAT Earth observation constellation, the CAS500 commercial-class satellite, and plans for a lunar orbiter (KPLO, aka Danuri, launched 2022) and a lunar lander. South Korea's space budget is approximately $700 million annually.