SEOUL, December 16 (AJP) - South Korea’s space agency said on Tuesday it plans to pursue a dual-track strategy to achieve a Mars landing by 2045, combining international cooperation in the near term with the long-term goal of deploying a lander developed entirely with domestic technology.
Unveiling its Mars exploration roadmap at a press conference in Seoul, the Korea AeroSpace Administration said it would initially collaborate with SpaceX by using the U.S. company’s Starship launch system to test key Mars exploration technologies, while continuing to develop its own launch vehicles for an independent mission in the future.
“Mars exploration is progressing rapidly, with private companies playing a leading role,” Kang Kyung-in, head of the agency’s space science exploration division, said. “To land on Mars with our own technology by 2045, we must first verify our capabilities, even if that means using someone else’s car.”
Under the short-term plan, South Korea would send payloads aboard Starship to the Martian surface, enabling domestic researchers and companies to test equipment and technologies. Kang noted that favorable launch windows for Mars missions occur roughly every 26 months, leaving only about five opportunities by 2035.
Using Starship would provide a cost-effective way to land an exploration module weighing about 500 kilograms on Mars, he said.
Over the longer term, the agency aims to conduct Mars exploration solely with South Korean technology, centered on an enhanced version of its next-generation launch vehicle now under development. Kang cautioned, however, that reaching and operating in Mars orbit requires more than launch capability alone.
“Deep-space missions demand engines capable of long-duration acceleration with minimal fuel consumption,” he said, outlining plans to develop what he described as a “space delivery truck” that could transport equipment and cargo from Earth orbit to Mars orbit.
Another major challenge is mastering entry, descent and landing (EDL) technology. Mars’ thin atmosphere limits the effectiveness of parachutes, requiring complex landing systems that rely on retro rockets and advanced heat-resistant materials, similar to techniques used in lunar landings.
“International cooperation can accelerate Mars exploration, but our 2045 strategy is based on our own technology,” he said. “Successfully landing on Mars with domestic capabilities will secure our competitiveness and leadership in the global space industry.”
* This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP.
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