"Core technologies of the space industry are materials"... KIST seeks strategies for space-grade composite materials

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On the 6th, Jeollabuk-do Special Self-Governing Province and the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) announced that they held the '2026 KIST Composite Conference International (KCCI)' at the KIST Jeonbuk Branch in Wanju-gun, Jeollabuk-do.

The theme of this event is 'Opening a New Future for K-Space with Space-Grade Composite Materials.' With over 100 experts from government, research institutions, universities, and industry attending, 11 presentations on domestic and international policy and research achievements were delivered, followed by discussions to explore strategies for utilizing carbon composite materials in the space industry ecosystem.

Composite materials are created by combining materials with different properties, such as carbon fiber. They are lighter than metals yet possess high strength, making them suitable for launch vehicles and satellite structures. Space-grade materials must withstand radiation, vacuum, extreme temperature fluctuations, and microparticle collisions, representing the area with the most stringent performance requirements.

The event began with a presentation by Kang Kyung-in, Director of the Space Science Exploration Division at the Korea Aerospace Administration (KASA), titled 'National Space Science Exploration Roadmap and Exploration Strategy,' followed by an introduction from Dr. Yuichi Ishida of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) on 'Development of TriA-X Polyimide/Carbon Fiber Composites.'

Jeollabuk-do Special Self-Governing Province and KIST Jeonbuk Branch have jointly implemented regional industry-academia-research fusion research projects since 2023. They are promoting the development of demand-driven technologies for local companies in the carbon composite materials field and cultivating young professional talent. Establishing new industries such as space-grade materials and energy materials is also a key goal.

Earlier this year, in January, KIST Jeonbuk Branch launched the Space-Grade Composite Materials Research Team. This is KIST's seventh mission-focused research center, established around the Jeollabuk Composite Materials Technology Research Institute. It is an organization that consolidates accumulated research capabilities in carbon fiber and carbon nanotubes for space-grade materials.

Mission-focused research centers are a research system introduced after Oh Sang-rok (Director) took office in 2024. They set specific problems faced by the nation and industry as goals, concentrating personnel and capabilities accordingly. KIST Jeonbuk Branch aims to serve as a core hub for materials within the domestic space industry ecosystem through this initiative.

The research team established quantitative targets based on space mobility such as lunar exploration rovers. Targets include ultra-lightweight materials that are 30% lighter than existing ones, shielding materials with radiation protection performance increased by more than tenfold, and thermal conductive materials with conductivity improved by over 50%.

Choi Won-guk of KIST Jeon Buk-bun (Director) stated, "The core R&D (research and development) technology driving revolutionary changes in the Republic of Korea's space industry is undoubtedly composite materials," adding, "We will strive even harder to secure domesticated technologies for demonstrating ultra-high-performance space-grade composite materials."

Oh Sang-rok, President of KIST, remarked, "The space industry is now evolving beyond a science and technology domain led by the state into a massive industrial ecosystem," and emphasized, "KIST and Jeollabuk-do Special Self-Governing Province will spare no support to leapfrog as a center for materials research in the Korean-style space industry."

Lee Won-taek, Governor of Jeollabuk-do Special Self-Governing Province, stressed, "Jeollabuk-do is a carbon industry hub that developed carbon fiber independently for the first time in the Republic of Korea," and added, "We will now challenge the future represented by space-grade composite materials, the flower of the carbon industry."

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