LG is testing its camera, battery, and power control technologies in space, utilizing existing commercial technologies to verify reliability in orbit rather than developing new components from scratch. This marks the first time LG affiliates have jointly launched various components on a single satellite for space validation.
On October 6, LG Science Park announced that it will equip the CubeSat aboard the fifth launch of the Nuri rocket, scheduled for October 7, with five components from LG Electronics, LG Energy Solution, and LG Innotek. The validation is being prepared in collaboration with the unmanned exploration research institute, a startup focused on lunar rover development.
The components include a camera module from LG Innotek and a battery pack from LG Energy Solution. LG Electronics is supplying a power module, attitude control actuator, and satellite communication antenna. The camera module will capture images of the Korean Peninsula and transmit data back to Earth. The power module and attitude control actuator will manage the satellite's power and orientation, while the battery pack will provide power and collect status information.
If the Nuri rocket launch and satellite separation proceed as planned, these components will undergo operational testing for about 60 days at an altitude of approximately 570 kilometers. A key verification target is whether the commercially available components can function normally in the actual space environment, which includes exposure to vacuum, extreme temperature changes, and radiation.
This test will employ a Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) approach, which involves adapting existing commercial components for space use. This method can reduce development time and costs compared to creating dedicated space components from the ground up. However, since ground-based components are not designed for space radiation and temperature variations, separate reliability verification is necessary before actual operation.
LG aims to gather data on how each component performs in orbit and plans to use the results to enhance its technology. This represents an initial step in determining whether the technologies acquired from its existing electronics and battery businesses can be expanded into the space sector.
Notably, LG Electronics, LG Innotek, and LG Energy Solution each possess expertise in power control, camera, and battery technologies. The satellite must generate and store power, control its orientation, and capture information to send back to Earth. For LG, the critical question is whether it can extend its core components from existing businesses into the space environment rather than building a separate space venture from scratch.
LG plans to gradually expand the scope of its verification efforts. By 2028, it aims to launch its own CubeSat. While this test involves components mounted on a satellite developed by the unmanned exploration research institute, future plans include validating independent satellite mounting technology.
LG is also broadening its collaborations in the space sector. LG Science Park discussed cooperation with the Korea Aerospace Administration on two occasions last year regarding the space industry. Additionally, LG Energy Solution has begun developing aerospace battery cells in partnership with South8 Technologies in the United States. As LG expands from supplying technology among its affiliates to joint validation efforts, it is solidifying its movement to explore the space industry as a new application market for its existing electronics and battery technologies.
Jung Soo-hun, CEO of LG Science Park, stated, "This launch is the first step in confirming how LG's technology operates in the space environment. We will continue to validate the technologies we have accumulated on the ground and contribute to the domestic space industry ecosystem."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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