"Building Satellites Like Learning to Code": The Man Cultivating Space Talent with Educational Kits

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"For the space industry to grow, ultimately, more people must be able to build and operate actual systems. Just as coding can be easily learned by non-specialists, an environment where anyone can directly experience space technology is needed in the future."

Choi Yo-seop, CEO of MiraSpace, recently met with MoneyToday's startup-focused media platform 'Unicorn Factory' and said, "We are focusing on cultivating space talent to support the growth of the domestic aerospace industry," adding the above remarks.

Founded in 2024, MiraSpace is a space startup developing educational satellite kits and microsatellites. Starting with an introductory kit for learning the basic structure of satellites, MiraSpace is creating a five-stage curriculum that progresses through outdoor communication, rocket flight tests, and stratospheric exploration to the development and operation of actual orbital satellites. The company has completed development up to Level 3 and conducted a demonstration in March this year by launching an educational satellite on an actual sounding rocket to an altitude of approximately 2 km.

MiraSpace focused on the education sector based on the judgment that it is difficult to find commercial educational products in Korea that allow learners, from beginners to students preparing for actual satellite development, to acquire satellite technology step by step. Accordingly, the company subdivided educational satellites into Levels 1 through 5, ranging from the introductory stage to the practical stage aimed at actual space deployment.

Specifically, Level 1 'Mira-Launchpad' is an introductory stage for learning satellite structure, data collection using sensors, and basic communication indoors. From Level 2 'Mira-LiftOff,' learners exchange data with ground stations outdoors and study the impact of distance and surrounding environment on communication.

In Level 3 'Mira-MaxQ,' the company takes it a step further by allowing satellites to be mounted on actual sounding rockets to test their operating status during flight. Subsequently, in Level 4, satellites are tested in the stratosphere using helium balloons, and the final stage, Level 5, aims to develop and operate satellites capable of being deployed into actual orbit. Currently, the company is developing a stratospheric test satellite system for use in Level 4.

The main customers for the education business are universities, local governments, and public institutional investors. The price of the introductory product, Mira-Launchpad, is 270,000 won, excluding value-added tax. Currently, discussions on adopting educational satellites are underway with four domestic universities and five local governments.

Technical verification has also begun. In March this year, MiraSpace mounted its Level 3 satellite on the sounding rocket 'Hyperion Junior-1 (HJ-1)' of space startup VF Space and proceeded with a demonstration in an actual flight environment. HJ-1 successfully flew stably to an altitude of approximately 2 km and normally ejected MiraSpace's satellite at apogee. This marks verification that has gone beyond desk-top educational kits to the stage of loading satellites on actual rockets for flight and separation.

Students from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Kyung Hee University also participated in the demonstration. MiraSpace plans to link such demonstrations with its curriculum in the future, allowing learners to directly test systems they have created in various environments such as rockets and the stratosphere.

Choi (CEO) said, "I felt the greatest sense of fulfillment seeing students say they wanted to work in the space field after watching an actual launch process," adding, "I hope more people will want to utilize their respective technologies in the space industry, even if they do not major in aerospace."

Choi (CEO) is also a software developer rather than an aerospace major. After studying computer engineering, he worked as a blockchain developer for about three years. However, his interest in space has continued since childhood. He loved space so much that he participated in astronomical observation programs when he was a middle school student and served as the president of a space-related club in high school.

Even after becoming a working professional, he did not give up his dream of a space business and decided to start a company in 2024. He chose the satellite field, where he could utilize his software development experience rather than launch vehicles, and focused on educational satellites while searching for ways to learn satellite technology.

Hardware development is handled by the CTO (Chief Technology Officer), who has accumulated over 16 years of experience in related fields. Product development began with Choi (CEO) handling software and the CTO handling hardware, and the team currently consists of six members.

The education business is also a process of accumulating technology for actual satellite development. This is because developing kits and demonstration missions at each stage allows the company to gain experience in integrating power, sensors, communication, and software into a single system and solving problems that arise in real environments.

MiraSpace plans to begin developing its own microsatellite in the second half of next year, aiming to deploy its satellite into a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of approximately 600 km between the second half of 2028 and the first half of 2029.

Choi (CEO) stated, "The education business allows us to quickly bring products and services to market and generate revenue while serving as a process for accumulating technology toward commercial satellite development," adding, "Our goal is to grow the education business into a sustainable venture while leaping forward to become a company that develops and operates actual satellites."

[MoneyToday Startup Media Platform Unicorn Factory]