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Experts from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), who have been researching high-temperature composite materials for aerospace applications, are visiting Korea. Korean and Japanese experts from academia, industry, and research institutions will collaborate on 'extreme environment materials' technology that will determine the competitiveness of next-generation space industries such as lunar and Mars exploration, reentry vehicles, and space mobility.
The Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) Jeonbuk Composite Materials Research Institute announced on the 23rd that it will hold '2026 KCCI (KIST Composite Conference International)' on the 6th of next month at the main auditorium of its Jeonbuk branch in Wanju, Jeollabuk-do.
Titled 'A New Future for K-Space Opened by Space-Grade Composites,' this event aims to expand research and industrial cooperation with Japan, which possesses world-class composite material technology, beyond existing international collaborations centered on the United States and Europe. Earlier this January, KIST established a 'Space Composite Materials Research Team' at its Jeonbuk branch to promote domestic production of space-grade composites.
Participants in the event include JAXA; the Korea Aerospace Administration (KASA); the Korea Aerospace Research Institute; the Korea Institute of Materials Science; the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute; KAIST, Seoul National University; and representatives from space and materials companies. As a member company of 'K-Space Forum,' a private space industry network operated by Money Today, the KIST Jeonbuk Composite Materials Research Institute plans to invite numerous forum member companies to this event, thereby broadening opportunities for technical exchange and joint research and development (R&D) cooperation between research institutions and private space enterprises.
This event will particularly focus on 'how advanced materials developed in laboratories can be practically applied in actual space environments.' Various technologies aimed at solving challenges in the space industry will be presented, including high-temperature polyimide and carbon fiber composites, silicon carbide (SiC) fibers, ceramic matrix composites (CMC), radiation shielding materials, spacesuit materials, and materials for ultra-low Earth orbit (VLEO) propulsion systems.
The most anticipated speaker is Dr. Yuichi Ishida of Japan's JAXA. Lee Si-da (Dr.) is an expert who has been researching high-temperature polymers and aerospace-grade polyimide composites for over 20 years in the Aerospace Technology Division at JAXA. After earning bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees from Tokyo Institute of Technology, he worked as a researcher at Sumitomo Bakelite before joining JAXA in 2003 to conduct research. His current primary research areas include aerospace-grade polyimide composites, high-temperature polymers, and polymer synthesis.
On this day, Lee Si-da (Dr.) will deliver a presentation titled 'Development of TriA-X Polyimide/Carbon Fiber Composite Manufactured Using Imide Solution Prepreg.'
The research team led by Lee Si-da (Dr.) developed 'TriA-X polyimide,' a special plastic that does not easily deform even at high temperatures, and combined it with lightweight and strong carbon fiber to create an aerospace-grade composite material.
The team fabricated the material into thin layers, stacked multiple layers, and produced a composite with a thickness of 8.8 mm. As a result, they achieved a stable structure with almost no internal voids or cracks and confirmed high heat resistance that allows the material to maintain its properties even at temperatures as high as 365℃.
Since spacecraft and launch vehicles are exposed to extreme temperature fluctuations during flight, such lightweight materials capable of withstanding high heat are considered key technologies for reducing the weight of space structures and enhancing safety.
Lee Seong-ho, a senior researcher and chairman of the KIST Jeonbuk Forum Committee, stated, "Materials used in spacecraft, launch vehicles, and high-speed aircraft must withstand extreme temperatures, pressures, and vibrations that are difficult to compare with ground conditions." He added, "In particular, in the space industry where weight directly translates into launch costs, securing both lightweighting and heat resistance of materials is a core competitive advantage."
The second Japanese speaker, Yuki Kubota, CEO of KENQ, will present on 'Connecting Material Research to Social Implementation.'
Koo Bo-ta (CEO) worked as a researcher and business developer at JAXA and IHI Aerospace, Japan's leading space and defense company, before founding the deep-tech startup KENQ in Tsukuba, Japan, in 2024.
At JAXA, he researched structures and materials capable of operating in extreme thermal environments exceeding 1000~2000℃ and led projects such as the development of lightweight thermal protection systems (TPS). Later at IHI Aerospace, he was responsible not only for research on advanced composites and thermal protection systems for space vehicles but also for technology commercialization efforts to connect developed material technologies to actual business applications.
KENQ is developing special materials and components that can withstand ultra-high temperatures exceeding 1000℃. Representative examples include lightweight and heat-resistant silicon carbide (SiC) fibers, ceramic matrix composites (CMC), and coating/thermal shielding technologies that protect spacecraft surfaces from intense heat. These are key technologies for withstanding the extreme heat generated when spacecraft or probes reenter the atmosphere and can be applied not only to aerospace but also to high-temperature industries such as power generation and energy.
In particular, KENQ is focusing on solving the problems that while these advanced materials offer excellent performance, they are expensive and difficult to mass-produce. The company is developing technologies to produce SiC fibers and CMC more cheaply and efficiently, enabling the use of cutting-edge laboratory materials in actual industrial settings.
Based on this, KENQ also supports the development of components required for spacecraft like 'spaceplanes' that utilize runways, such as space capsules or aircraft reentering the atmosphere, as well as material performance evaluations.
Domestic speakers will also unveil numerous materials technologies required for next-generation space exploration.
Kang Kyung-in of Joo Hang-gong-cheong (Director) will introduce the roadmap and exploration strategy for space science and exploration. While outlining the government's lunar and Mars exploration strategies and key technologies needed in the future, he will present the policy and industrial directions for the space materials technologies to be presented subsequently.
KIST Center Director Yoo Jae-sang will report on the development status of AI-based radiation shielding, ultra-lightweight, and active terrain-adaptive next-generation space mobility platforms. The core challenge lies in making the structures of exploration rovers that operate in environments with irregular terrain and strong radiation, such as on the Moon and Mars, as lightweight and strong as possible.
Representatives from the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (Ryu Dong-seok (Dr.)) will present on the necessity of lunar exploration mobility and advanced materials, while UEL Lee Jae-ho (Dr.) will discuss composite material demand from an industrial perspective and the direction for private-sector-led rover system development.
Space radiation issues are also a major agenda item. Space&Bin Min Gyeong-ryeong (CEO) will present integrated shielding material technologies to protect electronic equipment in extreme space environments, while KAIST Kim Hyeon-jeong (Prof.) will introduce space environment simulation and testing technologies to verify the performance and reliability of materials prior to actual space mission deployment.
KIST Joo Yong-ho (Dr.) will present a multi-radiation shielding composite material that combines boron nitride nanotubes (BNNT) and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) to achieve flexibility and 3D printing characteristics.
Following this, Deck Carbon CEO Lim Dong-won will present manufacturing technologies ranging from SiC fibers to SiC·SiC ceramic matrix composite components, while Korea Aerospace University Nam Yeong-u (Prof.) will present composite material technologies applicable to the discharge wall of Hall thrusters in ultra-low orbit environments.
The final presentation will be delivered by KIST Kim Dae-yun (Dr.). He will introduce a technology that integrates different types of nanotube fibers into a single unit to enhance the radiation shielding performance of spacesuits for deep space exploration. This is next-generation spacesuit material technology aimed at the era of human deep space exploration beyond the Moon, including Mars.
The KIST Jeonbuk Composite Materials Research Institute, where this event is being held, is a major hub for advanced composite materials research in Korea. Established in Wanju, Jeollabuk-do, in 2008, the institute conducts research on advanced composites such as carbon fibers, carbon nanotubes (CNT), and boron nitride nanotubes (BNNT), developing application technologies for space, defense, mobility, and energy sectors. Through collaboration with local universities and companies, it promotes technology transfer and talent development while cooperating with 72 family companies.
In particular, since the official launch of the 'Space Composite Materials Research Team' as KIST's seventh mission-focused research institute in January this year, the institute has rapidly expanded its research direction toward space. Its goal is to develop core composite materials necessary for extreme space environments, including structures for lunar and Mars exploration rovers, radiation shielding, heat transfer, and electrically conductive materials.
Some of the space materials technologies held by KIST Jeonbuk Branch have already entered the actual space environment verification stage. The neutron shielding material developed by the institute was attached to the solar panel structure of NASA's International Space Station and underwent a six-month exposure test in the space environment.
The key project that KIST Jeonbuk Branch is pursuing for the next phase is the establishment of 'space environment simulation testing infrastructure.' Currently, many domestic companies must utilize overseas facilities to comprehensively verify space materials under conditions close to actual space environments. KIST plans to solve this problem by building a testing infrastructure capable of simultaneously implementing various space environment conditions such as radiation irradiation, ultra-low/high temperatures, micro-particle collisions, and reactive oxygen effects. The target completion date is 2030.
Once this facility is established, it is expected to help domestic space startups overcome the chronic issue of securing 'heritage' (space verification history). In the space industry, even the best materials or components face significant constraints in commercialization and overseas expansion if they lack a verified track record of operating in actual space environments. KIST envisions that when government-funded research institutions take on the role of providing credible verification infrastructure, it can significantly reduce testing costs and time for startups and SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises).
KIST Jeon Buk-bun (Director) Choi Won-guk stated, "Space materials do not end with research and development; applying them to actual systems and verifying them in space environments is essential, making collaboration between research institutions and private companies crucial." He added, "This KCCI will serve as a stage for expanding the strategy of KIST Jeonbuk Branch to overseas research institutions and the domestic space industry ecosystem."
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