Daejeon: Korean Air Co. and Hyundai Rotem Co. announced a partnership to develop a reusable 35-ton-class methane rocket engine by October 2030. This initiative is part of a government-backed program amounting to 49 billion won (US$33 million).

According to Yonhap News Agency, the Korea Research Institute for Defense Technology Planning and Advancement (KRIT) is overseeing the program. Hyundai Rotem will spearhead the engine planning, evaluate the engine power pack, and manufacture the combustors. The company has a history with methane engine technologies, having started work in 1994 and completing a combustion test by 2006. Hyundai Rotem aims to commercialize methane rocket engines through this collaboration.

Korean Air, recognized as the nation's largest carrier, will focus on developing the engine's turbopump, an essential component of the propulsion system. Kim Kyung-nam, head of Korean Air's Aerospace R and D Center, highlighted the project's significance in enhancing Korea's space industry and supporting military satellite launch vehicles and future national defense needs.

The technologies developed are expected to enhance national defense capabilities and establish a strategic base for the growing commercial New Space sector in Korea. A kick-off meeting in Daejeon, attended by around 70 experts and officials, was held to discuss development tasks, technical-validation procedures, and risk-management plans essential to the program's success.