The Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI; Korean: 한국항공우주연구원; Hanja: 韓國航空宇宙研究院; RR: Hanguk Hanggong Uju Yeonguweon), established in 1989, is the aeronautics and space agency of South Korea. Its main laboratories are located in Daejeon, in the Daedeok Science Town. KARI's vision is to continue building upon indigenous launch capabilities, strengthen national safety and public service, industrialize satellite information and applications technology, explore the Moon, and develop environmentally-friendly and highly-efficient cutting-edge aircraft and core aerospace technology. Current projects include the KSLV-2 launcher. Past projects include the 1999 Arirang-1 satellite. The agency was founded in 1989. Prior to South Korea's entry into the Institute for Advanced Engineering (IAE) in 1992, it focused primarily on aerospace technology.

KARI began on October 10, 1989, as a national aerospace research institute with the purpose of contributing to sound development of the national economy and enhancement of people's lives through a new exploration, technological advancement, development, and dissemination in the field of aerospace science and technology.^[4]

• KARI Innovation Advisory Group
• External Relations and Cooperation Office
• International Cooperation Office
• Safety, Health and Security Office
• Overseas Contracts Office
• Auditing Division
• Public Relations Office
• Quality Management Office
• IT and Information Security Office
• Technology Commercialization Office
• Aeronautics Research Directorate
• Satellite Research Directorate
• NARO Space Center
• Management Support Directorate
• Strategy and Planning Directorate
• National Satellite Operation & Application Center
• KPS R&D Directorate
• Unmanned Vehicle Advanced Research Center
• SBAS Program Office
• Space Pioneer Program Office
• Strastopheric Drone Technology Development Center
• Future Innovation Research Center
• KARI Academy

KARI is also developing Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, high-altitude airships, a next-generation multi-purpose helicopter project, next- generation medium satellite, and a lunar exploration project. In addition, several satellites, including the KOMPSAT (also known as Arirang) Series, the COMS (Communication, Ocean and Meteorological Satellite), and the STSAT (Science and Technology Satellite), are developed, operated, or under development by KARI. On January 30, 2013, they launched a satellite into space from their own soil for the first time.^[7]

KARI began in 1989 to develop its own rockets (KSR, Korean Sounding Rocket). It produced the KSR-I and KSR-II, one and two-stage rockets in the early 1990s.

In December 1997 it began development of a LOX/kerosene rocket engine. KARI wished to develop satellite launch capability. A test launch of the KSR-III took place in 2002.^[8]

The first-stage unguided rocket KSR-I was produced by KARI in cooperation with research institutes such as industry, academia, and research institutes for the development of rockets. R&D took place for three years from 1990, and the total development cost was 2.85 billion won. Their goal was to develop a solid unguided science tube survey rocket that could observe the ozone layer over the Korean Peninsula.^[9]

KSLV-1 launched on August 25, 2009. It was originally a cluster of indigenous liquid KSR-III rockets with a solid propellant to form a multistage launcher. However, KARI experienced more difficulties than expected in SLV development, because it required much stronger propellant power than KSR-III possessed to launch a satellite into orbit.^[10] After several failed attempts, KARI turned to Russia's Khrunichev Design Bureau for assistance in developing a liquid-propellant rocket engine for the KSLV-1 as well as for cooperation in the construction of the launch facility at the Naro Space Center. The first stage of the launcher was derived from the Russian URM-1 (Universal Rocket Module) developed by Khrunichev. The second stage of the launcher was a solid Kick Motor developed by Korea, which included the Inertial Navigation System; the power, control, and flight safety systems; plus the nose fairing.^[10] South Korea launched its next rocket, the KSLV-2 in 2021. The first stage of KSLV-II has 4 clustered engines, each of which has a 75 metric ton thrust. All three stages use indigenously developed rocket engines.

Active Missions: KSLV-1, KSLV-2, Koreasat, ANASIS-II

• The launch of KSR-I
• KSR-II at a launchpad
• KSR-III
• KSLV-1
• KSLV-2
• Smart Tilt Rotor UAV

• Naro Space Center
• Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI)
• Agency for Defense Development (ADD)
• List of government space agencies