Government to invest 570 billion won in 6th Generation Low Orbit Satellite Communication

[Smart City Today]

The government will invest 570 billion won in developing 6G low-orbit satellite communication. Low-orbit satellite communication is the core of the next-generation network that supports the creation of new industries such as urban air traffic (UAM) and autonomous ships and responds quickly to disasters.

The government plans to actively support the development of related industries by investing in research and development so that Korean companies can secure core technologies in low-orbit satellite communication.

In order to secure core technologies in five areas of the system (assembly, launch, operation, etc.), the government will implement a budget of about 570 billion won over the next eight years from 2024 to 2031.

The Ministry of Science and ICT (Minister Lee Jong-ho, hereinafter referred to as the "Ministry of Science and ICT") announced on the 18th that it will hold a public hearing on the planning (proposal) of the "6th Generation (6G) Low Orbit Satellite Communication Technology Development Project (R&D)".

This public hearing is held to invite industry and academic experts in the field of satellite communication to share the main contents of the "6th Generation (6G) Low Earth Orbit Satellite Communication Technology Development Project Plan (Proposal)" and collect opinions on the direction of supplementation. The Ministry of Science and ICT is planning to set up a project plan for the preliminary feasibility study of national research and development at the end of this year, reflecting the opinions raised at the public hearings.

As seen in the recent war in Ukraine, even if the ground network is destroyed by war or natural disasters and communication is impossible, low-orbit satellite communication can provide communication services, which is comparable to ground networks.

While international companies such as SpaceX and OneWeb are fiercely competing to dominate the low-orbit satellite communication market, it is not easy for Korean companies to enter the market in terms of technology and space verification history.

To prevent encroachment of the domestic satellite communication market by foreign international companies and to avoid dependence on overseas satellite communication of the main communication network, it is urgent to secure domestic proprietary technology.

The Ministry of Science and ICT announced the "Korea Digital Strategy" on the 28th of last month and said it would push for the "development of 6G low-orbit satellite communication technology" to build a faster, safer network. Two days later, on September 30, the government gathered domestic satellite communication companies, major research institutes, and academic experts to hold the '11th Digital National Task Continuous Field Meeting' (Ministry of Science and ICT) to promote the government's R & D investment direction.

The government plans to actively invest in research and development so that domestic companies can secure key technologies in the low-orbit satellite communication sector," said Choi Woo-hyuk, director of the radio wave policy bureau at the Ministry of Science and ICT.

Based on the introduction of the 6th generation (6G) low-orbit satellite communication technology development project and discussions with related experts, the public hearing will be held at the aT Tenner Grand Hall next to the Yangjae Citizens' Forest.