The Korea Aerospace Agency (KASA), established in 2024, has unveiled a long-term research program that envisages building a base on the Moon by 2045. This was reported by Space with reference to The Korea Times.
The agency's five priority areas of work include: low-Earth orbit, microgravity, lunar exploration, and solar and space science missions. KASA intends to develop a new lander by 2040 that will facilitate the implementation of a base on the Moon. In addition, the agency plans to develop technologies for landing and moving on the Moon, as well as the extraction and exploitation of its resources, in particular water ice.
The country is already conducting mineral exploration tests using a prototype lunar rover in an abandoned coal mine. In addition, in 2022, South Korea launched its first lunar probe, the Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter (Danuri), aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The orbiter is still successfully exploring the Earth's satellite.
The country's plans also include the creation of a lunar robotic module by 2032. In addition to its lunar ambitions, KASA has announced the goal of making the first landing on Mars by 2045.
Thus, South Korea is strengthening its position among countries developing projects to explore the Moon, along with the USA, China, India, and other participants in the global space race.