KARI / KASA

KARI (Korea Aerospace Research Institute) and KASA (Korea AeroSpace Administration) together represent South Korea's primary government space research and administration organizations. KARI, established in 1989 and headquartered in Daejeon, is the national aerospace research institute responsible for developing South Korea's indigenous launch vehicles, satellites, and space exploration systems. KARI developed the Nuri (KSLV-2) rocket — South Korea's first domestically developed orbital launch vehicle, which achieved its first successful orbital launch in June 2022 — and the Danuri lunar orbiter, South Korea's first lunar mission. In 2024, Korea established KASA as the dedicated national space agency to oversee strategic space policy, international space cooperation, and long-term space exploration programs, with KARI continuing as the primary research and development institution.