KARI reaches for the stars seeking 10th ranking in global space aviation industry With the aim of making inroads into the global space aviation market, as well as the information communication market, by combining their space technology power and Korea's IT technology supremacy, the advanced space aviation powers are increasingly courting Korea to secure access to some of the world's most highlyrated IT technology. By leveraging these new opportunities, the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) (http://www.kari.re.kr) is planning to be a driving force for Korea to advance into the rankings of the world's top 10 space powers by 2010, while reducing the space technology gap with advanced countries within a short period. Hence, Korea should eventually inevitably conquer the space IT field of the future as well, predicted KARI president Chae Yeon-seok on the occasion of the launch of Daedeok R&D valley. The president said a host of foreign countries are keenly watching the progress of the Korean space aviation industry, adding that this year KARI held space cooperation workshops with Britain in late April and with Russia in July, respectively. He stressed that this year particularly is likely to be an important year for Korea's ambition to join the ranks of the world's most advanced space aviation countries, as it commences its first year of space development. Accordingly, the first-phase target en route to reaching the eventual goal for KARI is to blast into space Korean-made satellites using Korean-built rockets from local launching facilities in 2007. 'In 2007, we will have the capacity to lift off a 100-kilogram low-earth-orbit satellite from our own launching pad that is currently under construction,' Chae said. However, he conceded that it would obviously not be such an easy task to catch up within a little more than 10 years the state of development of the advanced countries, such as the United States, Russia, Europe, Japan, and China - all of which had accumulated experience by carrying out space development of over 40 years. 'Although we are a latecomer in satellite technology, we have improved very fast. Now our satellite competitiveness is about 60 to 70 percent compared to that of global satellite makers', he explained. 'However, we expect that the gap will be narrowed rapidly in the foreseeable future. When we finish developing Arirang III and Arirang IV, we will be of international standard as far as satellites are concerned', the president predicted. Moreover, he went on to explain, Korea has already been successfully operating its space program by developing the 'Arirang' satellite, a satellite for observing the earth, including science satellites and Korea is forging ahead with its space projectile development through the development of scientific rockets. Furthermore, Korea is equipping itself with development ability based on its own strengths, an indispensable requisite to advance into becoming an advanced space aviation nation via the erection of a space center. He underlined the fact that KARI would fulfill a pivotal role in the leap toward becoming an advanced aviation space nation through new technology research and development in the space aviation field, adding that the Institute is contributing to associated industry development as well by means of the transfer of aviation space technology. In conjuction with KARI's support, as well as mutual cooperation in the interests of Daedeok Valley's growth and development, Chae said that the spread of technological expertise, its development and commercialization will be key requirements for the development of Daedeok Valley. To give substance to cooperation between educational-industrial and laboratorial sectors, KARI first of all has been undertaking proactive activities from the second half of last year in recognition that it is necessary to construct an aviation space cluster. This aviation space cluster consists of a total of 60 members, such as universities, laboratories and corporations and is striving to forge mutual development devices of various forms, including mutual project plans. KARI furthermore has a plan under way to form an exclusive responsibility team with a view to actively promoting technology transfer and, at the same time, it is planning to establish and operate a laboratory company to facilitate the commercialization of technology. The KARI president revealed that KARI's has six key research projects this year, such as the Arirang satellite development business, a space center construction project, and KSLV-1, with priority being given to the space aviation field, pointing out that Daedeok Valley has the potential to grow much bigger. In that respect, he said KARI would commit itself to striving for its national goal, namely for Korea to join the ranks of the world's top 10 in the space aviation industry by 2015.