Korean satellite to head into space with NASA's Artemis II lunar mission

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Korean satellite to head into space with NASA's Artemis II lunar mission

Published: 09 May. 2025, 07:00

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

The Twin SLS (Space Launch System) solid rocket boosters, that will be used in the Artemis II mission, are being assembled inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center in Titusville, Florida, on March 7. According to NASA, Artemis II will send a crew of four astronauts on a journey around the Moon and bring them back safely, paving the way for future long-term human exploration missions to the lunar surface and eventually Mars. [EPA/YONHAP]

A Korean CubeSat, or small satellite, will debut aboard NASA’s Artemis II, the United States’ manned lunar mission, marking the first time a Korean satellite will join the Artemis program. Such development raises expectations for deeper Korea-U.S. cooperation on lunar and Mars space exploration.

The Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA) announced Friday that it had signed an implementation agreement with NASA to place the Korean CubeSat. called “K-RadCube,” aboard Artemis II.

Under the agreement, NASA will support the satellite’s integration into Artemis II, which is scheduled to launch in April 2025. KASA plans to complete development and flight certification of the satellite by July and deliver it to NASA for integration.

This marks Korea’s first participation in NASA’s Artemis program. Artemis II aims to send four astronauts around the moon and back to Earth. K-RadCube will fly aboard the mission and monitor the space radiation environment.

KASA, which is currently developing a lunar lander with a goal of launching by 2033, expects the satellite deployment to lead to closer cooperation with NASA, including potential joint development of lunar lander technologies and application systems for crewed missions.

Artemis is the first U.S. manned lunar exploration program in over 50 years since the Apollo missions. Named after the Greek goddess of the moon and twin sister of Apollo, the program increases in complexity through each stage. Artemis I, which launched in 2022, carried sensor-equipped mannequins into lunar orbit and returned safely. Artemis III, expected after 2027, will attempt the first human landing on the moon’s south pole.

K-RadCube is a 19-kilogram (41-pound) cube satellite that will orbit Earth in a highly elliptical trajectory, ranging from 100 to 200 kilometers (62 to 124 miles) at its closest to up to 70,000 kilometers at its highest point. The mission is designed to monitor radiation in Earth’s Van Allen belts and assess its effects on astronauts, and the performance of semiconductor memory chips in space.

An infographic detailing K-RadCube's planned mission [KOREA AEROSPACE ADMINISTRATION]

The satellite will be installed in the Orion Stage Adapter — a component linking NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) with the crewed Orion spacecraft. It will be deployed at an altitude of about 36,000 kilometers, begin deploying its solar panels two hours after release and initiate attitude control. Once stabilized, K-RadCube will perform radiation measurements for approximately 28 hours, with the possibility of extending the mission up to two weeks depending on satellite conditions.

“The scientific data collected by the satellite will be shared with researchers and is expected to play a key role in future international deep space exploration,” said Kang Kyung-in, head of KASA’s space science exploration division.

NASA initially proposed in October 2023 to carry CubeSats from program partners aboard Artemis II. Korea had expressed its intent to participate, and the Ministry of Science and ICT began preparing for the mission. However, the roughly 7 billion won ($5 million) budget failed to pass the National Assembly, forcing Korea to withdraw and triggered public criticism over a missed opportunity to send a satellite near the moon.

The project was revived after the Artemis II launch was delayed to April 2025, giving Korea another window to join.

“The program’s rescheduling allowed the government and research institutions to respond actively, ultimately securing the satellite’s inclusion,” Kang said.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY KANG KWANG-WOO [[email protected]]