A South Korean miniaturized CubeSat will join NASA’s Artemis II mission, marking a significant milestone in U.S.-South Korea collaboration on deep space exploration. The Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) announced on May 2 that it has signed an Implementation Agreement (IA) with NASA to integrate the Korean radiation-measuring satellite, K-RadCube, aboard the Artemis II launch scheduled for April next year. Under this agreement, NASA will provide the necessary support to accommodate the CubeSat on the upcoming mission. KARI plans to complete the development and flight certification of the K-RadCube by July and deliver it to NASA soon after. This marks the first time a South Korean satellite will participate in NASA's Artemis program. Artemis II is a crewed mission designed to carry four astronauts on a journey around the Moon before returning to Earth, serving as a crucial step toward future lunar surface exploration. The K-RadCube, which will be deployed from the Artemis II mission, will conduct vital research on the space radiation environment. KARI hopes this collaboration will strengthen ties with NASA as it pursues its ambitious plan to develop a lunar lander by 2033. Potential areas for deeper collaboration include the joint development of lunar landing technologies and applied systems to support astronaut missions.

The Artemis program, named after the Greek goddess of the Moon and the twin sister of Apollo, represents the first U.S. crewed lunar exploration initiative since the Apollo missions of the 1960s and 70s. The program is structured to incrementally increase mission complexity, paving the way for sustainable human presence on the Moon. Artemis I, launched successfully in 2022, carried a sensor-laden mannequin around the Moon and safely returned it to Earth, laying the groundwork for crewed missions. The Artemis III mission, scheduled for launch after 2027, aims to land astronauts on the lunar south pole for in-depth scientific exploration. The K-RadCube itself is a 19 kg microsatellite designed to operate in an elliptical, high Earth orbit with a maximum altitude of 70,000 km and a perigee as low as 100 to 200 km. Its primary mission is to observe radiation levels within the Van Allen radiation belts, studying the effects of space radiation on astronauts and evaluating the resilience of semiconductor memory chips to harsh space conditions. The satellite will be housed within the Orion Stage Adapter, a crucial component connecting NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket to the crewed Orion spacecraft. Following its release at an altitude of approximately 36,000 km, the K-RadCube will deploy its solar panels and initiate attitude control roughly two hours after separation, commencing a 28-hour primary mission to measure radiation. If the satellite remains in good condition, it may continue extended scientific operations for up to two additional weeks.

Kang Kyung-in, Director of KARI’s Space Science and Exploration Division, emphasized the importance of the data the K-RadCube will collect, noting that it will be made available to international researchers to support further deep space exploration. He highlighted that this mission would play a critical role in fostering international collaboration on deep space missions, aligning with NASA’s broader Artemis goals. NASA first announced plans to accommodate international CubeSats aboard Artemis II in October 2023. Although South Korea initially missed the opportunity to join due to budget constraints—specifically, the failure of a roughly 7 billion KRW funding bill to pass the National Assembly—the subsequent delay of the Artemis II launch to April 2025 provided a renewed opportunity. “Thanks to the delayed schedule, the government and research institutions were able to mobilize swiftly, ensuring the satellite’s inclusion on this historic mission,” Kang remarked.

(JoongAng Ilbo, May 2, 2025)