The Committee on Space Research (COSPAR), the world’s largest international academic event in space research, commenced on July 15 at BEXCO in Busan. This marks the first time COSPAR has been held in South Korea since its inception in 1958. It rotates continents biennially.
The event, which runs through July 21, features over 3,000 participants from over 60 countries. Key space research organizations, including the United States NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), the Japanese Space Agency (JAXA), the Chinese Space Agency (CNSA), and the UAE Space Agency (UAESA), are in attendance.
Establishing the Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA) and hosting COSPAR are expected to boost Korea’s global competitiveness in space. “Korea has gained global attention for its advancements in satellites and rockets. With government support for space companies’ innovation, we will successfully explore space, including landing on the moon,” said COSPAR President Pascale Ehrenfreund.
The event has also facilitated international cooperation among space organizations. KASA, established in May, announced plans to enhance collaboration with NASA and ESA on the Apophis asteroid mission.
Apophis, a 370-meter-diameter asteroid, will come within 32,000 kilometers of Earth in 2029, a rare event occurring once every 20,000 years. With only five years remaining for exploration, international cooperation is critical. KASA, led by Chief Yoon Young-bin, has held high-level bilateral meetings with national space agencies, including NASA, ESA, and JAXA.
Korean space companies have drawn significant attention. The successful third launch of Nuri has positioned Korea as the seventh country capable of independently sending a commercial satellite into space. At Perigee Aerospace’s booth, two international students were learning about launch vehicles.
Innospace, the first Korean private company to launch a space rocket in March last year, displayed a one-tenth scale model of the Hanbit-Nano rocket, set to launch next year. “Nearly 80% of visitors to our booth are foreigners, many of whom are surprised that Korea has launched a rocket with its technology. We plan to secure many international partners through this event,” said an Innospace official.
During the opening ceremony, approximately 200 space researchers and business representatives from various nationalities networked at the BEXCO venue. Inside, space companies and organizations worldwide, including Korea, showcased their technologies and products at booths. The UAE’s Muhammad Bin Rashid Space Center (MBRSC) also featured a booth to display its technologies.
“We developed the UAE’s satellite in collaboration with Korean satellite company Satrec Initiative, and we came to Korea to seek global technology cooperation partners,” said an MBRSC official.
