LG affiliates to test five parts in space on Nuri rocket's fifth launch
Version 3: Coverage expanded with further detail on the collaboration's history, the fourth Nuri launch, the startup's 2027 lunar demonstration and LG's US aerospace battery work; the planned launch date and parts list are unchanged.
In short
LG Science Park said five parts from three LG affiliates will fly on a cubesat carried as a sub-payload on the Nuri rocket's fifth launch, scheduled for 7 October, in cooperation with lunar rover startup Unmanned Exploration Research Institute. If the rocket reaches orbit, the cubesat is to run part-by-part operation tests at an altitude of 570 km over about 60 days using commercial off-the-shelf components. LG said it plans to launch its own cubesat in 2028.
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LG Science Park said on 6 October that five parts from three LG affiliates will be carried on a cubesat flying as a sub-payload satellite on the Nuri rocket's fifth launch, scheduled for 7 October. The cubesat was prepared with Unmanned Exploration Research Institute, a lunar rover development startup. LG said this is the first time its affiliates take part in a joint technology demonstration in space. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 10 , 14 ]
The parts are an LG Innotek camera module, an LG Energy Solution battery pack, and an LG Electronics power module, attitude control actuator and satellite communication antenna, according to the outlets. Yonhap reported that the camera module is to photograph the Korean peninsula and transmit the data, the power module and attitude control actuator are to control the satellite's power and attitude, and the battery pack is to supply power while collecting status information. The antenna is to operate at all times as the satellite's basic communication link without a separate test. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 10 , 14 ]
If the rocket reaches orbit, the cubesat is to carry out part-by-part operation tests at an altitude of 570 km over about 60 days, run in sequence. The demonstration uses the commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) approach, in which commercially proven ground components are adapted to the space environment rather than developing dedicated space parts, a method the documents describe as cutting development cost and time. LG Science Park said it will check whether each part works normally in space and use the reliability data to refine the technology. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 7 , 8 , 14 ]
The project began on LG's open innovation platform Superstart. LG Science Park selected Unmanned Exploration Research Institute, described as the only domestic startup specialising in lunar exploration rovers, as a nurtured startup in 2023 and has supported it through its incubator programme since 2024, according to Yonhap, ZDNet Korea, Electronic Times and Kyunghyang Shinmun. ZDNet Korea reported that the startup was selected in public competitions for sub-payload satellites on the fourth and fifth Nuri launches, that it recently attracted about 12 billion won in investment and that it is preparing a lunar exploration demonstration for 2027. ZDNet Korea and Electronic Times reported that the two sides succeeded in a rover driving test in May last year at a lunar surface mock testbed in Yeoncheon, Gyeonggi Province. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 7 , 8 ]
LG plans to analyse the data from the fifth-launch demonstration and launch its own cubesat in 2028 to expand its space business, and it says it is drawing up a plan to verify its own satellite payload technology. ZDNet Korea reported that the Korea AeroSpace Administration publicly solicited cubesats for the fifth launch from industry, research institutes and government bodies, and that 12 cubesats were carried on the fourth launch in November last year. Electronic Times reported that LG's search for space business opportunities began at the LG Technology Council in January last year and that the company held meetings with the space agency in June and November; it added that LG Energy Solution began developing aerospace battery cells with US startup South8 Technologies in November last year as part of a NASA-related project involving US thermal management firm KULR Technology Group. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 7 , 8 ]
Seoul Economic Daily reported that Morgan Stanley projects the global space industry will reach 590 billion dollars by 2030 and 1.1 trillion dollars by 2040, and that LG aims to enter a space industry worth 1,500 trillion won. Korea Economic Daily reported that LG Innotek shares rose more than 12 percent on expectations for space and semiconductor substrate growth and a recovery in fourth-quarter profitability. [ 8 , 11 ]
Chung Soo-hyun, head of LG Science Park, said the launch is “the first step in verifying how LG's ground technology actually works in the space environment”, and that the company will verify technology accumulated on the ground and contribute to the domestic space ecosystem. [ 1 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 8 ]
Why it matters
The flight is described by the outlets as the first joint in-space demonstration by LG affiliates, and it tests whether commercially proven parts can be adapted to space instead of building dedicated hardware, which the documents say cuts cost and development time. The data from the test is meant to feed LG's stated plan to launch its own cubesat in 2028. The documents report no regulatory or market consequences beyond LG's own plans and one cited market projection.
Key facts
- LG Science Park said five parts from three LG affiliates will be carried on a cubesat prepared with lunar rover startup Unmanned Exploration Research Institute on the Nuri rocket's fifth launch. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 10 , 14 ]
- The parts are an LG Innotek camera module, an LG Energy Solution battery pack, and an LG Electronics power module, attitude control actuator and satellite communication antenna. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 10 , 14 ]
- LG said this is the first time its affiliates take part in a joint technology demonstration in space. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 10 , 14 ]
- The launch is scheduled for 7 October; ZDNet Korea said it is due in the afternoon, and the other documents give no hour. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 10 , 14 ]
- If orbit insertion succeeds, the cubesat is to perform part-by-part operation tests at an altitude of 570 km over about 60 days. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 10 , 14 ]
- The demonstration uses the COTS (commercial off-the-shelf) approach of adapting commercially proven parts to the space environment instead of developing dedicated space components. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 7 , 8 , 14 ]
- LG plans to launch its own cubesat in 2028. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ]
- The collaboration began on LG's open innovation platform Superstart; LG Science Park selected Unmanned Exploration Research Institute as a nurtured startup in 2023 and has supported it through its incubator programme since 2024. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 7 , 8 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- LG Science Park said five parts from three LG affiliates will be carried on a cubesat prepared with Unmanned Exploration Research Institute on the Nuri rocket's fifth launch. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 10 , 14 ]
- The five parts are an LG Innotek camera module, an LG Energy Solution battery pack, and an LG Electronics power module, attitude control actuator and satellite communication antenna. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 10 , 14 ]
- LG said this is the first time its affiliates take part in a joint technology demonstration in space. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 10 , 14 ]
- The launch is scheduled for 7 October; ZDNet Korea said it is due in the afternoon, and the other documents give no hour. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 10 , 14 ]
- If orbit insertion succeeds, the cubesat is to perform part-by-part operation tests at an altitude of 570 km over about 60 days. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 10 , 14 ]
- The demonstration uses the COTS (commercial off-the-shelf) approach of adapting commercially proven parts to the space environment instead of developing dedicated space components. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 7 , 8 , 14 ]
- LG plans to launch its own cubesat in 2028. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ]
- The collaboration began on LG's open innovation platform Superstart; LG Science Park selected Unmanned Exploration Research Institute as a nurtured startup in 2023 and has supported it through its incubator programme since 2024. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 7 , 8 ]
Still unclear
- Whether the Nuri rocket's fifth launch and the cubesat's orbit insertion will succeed. The documents describe the test plan as conditional on successful orbit insertion and do not report an outcome.
- The exact launch time on 7 October. Only ZDNet Korea says the launch is scheduled for the afternoon; no document states an hour.
- Details from Newsis's coverage of the LG parts. The article text attached to the Newsis document is about an unrelated story on the Supreme Court chief justice, so only its feed headline could be used.
- The global space market projections and LG Innotek's share move. Each is reported by a single outlet; Seoul Economic Daily cites Morgan Stanley for the market figures and Korea Economic Daily links the stock move to broader expectations.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- LG Science Park announces that five parts from LG Innotek, LG Energy Solution and LG Electronics will be carried on a cubesat on the Nuri rocket's fifth launch. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The Nuri rocket is moved from the assembly building to the launch pad at the Naro Space Center in Goheung, South Jeolla Province. [ 1 ]
- Electronic Times reports the plan, adding that the company will pursue its own cubesat in 2028. [ 5 ]
- Hankook Ilbo reports the plan and Chung Soo-hyun's comments. [ 6 ]
- Seoul Economic Daily reports the plan and cites a Morgan Stanley projection for the global space industry. [ 8 ]
- Korea Economic Daily reports that LG Innotek shares rose more than 12 percent. [ 11 ]
- Dong-A Ilbo carries a further report on the planned parts demonstration. [ 14 ]
- The fifth Nuri launch is scheduled for the afternoon of 7 October. [ 4 ]