As private space launch startup Perigee Aerospace (Perigee) prepares for a test launch in the first half of the year, the government is actively supporting the company by creating a stable radio wave environment. Perigee will be the first private Korean space company to test-launch a vehicle from the sea off Jeju Island, aiming for a suborbital flight.
The Central Radio Management Service announced on the 27th that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Perigee to support the development of the space industry. Perigee is currently preparing for a test in June to launch the upper stage of its small launch vehicle, 'Blue Whale 1,' into a suborbital flight from its sea launch platform located near Yongsu-ri, Hangyeong-myeon, Jeju.
The Central Radio Management Service is taking active steps to assist with Perigee's launch. On the 2nd of this month, the agency already inspected the launch site area and investigated radio noise and the overall radio environment. Additionally, in June, it plans to assess the radio conditions to ensure smooth communication between Perigee's sea launch platform and its ground control vehicle.
Once the launch date is set, the Central Radio Management Service will inspect the frequencies in use around the launch site two days prior to the launch. It will also prepare to prevent any incidents that could affect the launch by detecting radio interference, jamming signals, and illegal frequencies. If any signals intended to cause radio disruption are found, they will be promptly eliminated.
This agreement between Perigee and the Central Radio Management Service is significant as it represents a public-private collaboration to advance the development of small launch vehicles and the launch service industry for a domestic space startup in the New Space era. Under the agreement, the Central Radio Management Service will carry out activities to protect the radio environment to support the success of small satellite development and launches, as well as the growth of the space industry in the Jeju region. Perigee has agreed to cooperate for industrial development by sharing technological trends in the radio communication field of the space industry.
Kim Jeong-sam, Director of the Central Radio Management Service, stated, "We will do our best to promote industrial development and public benefit by maintaining an optimal radio communication state through radio environment support and wireless station management for new industry services like the space industry."
