Korean Air and Hyundai Rotem to Develop Reusable Methane Rocket Engine

Korean Air and Hyundai Rotem have launched a joint initiative to develop a reusable 35-ton-class methane rocket engine, a core technology for next-generation launch vehicles.

Backed by a KRW 49 billion budget and overseen by the Korea Research Institute for Defense Technology Planning and Advancement (KRIT), the program will run through October 2030.

More than 70 representatives from the government, academia and industry attended today’s kick-off meeting in Daejeon. Participants included officials from the Ministry of National Defense, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), KRIT, and technical partners such as Doosan Enerbility, Perigee Aerospace, the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology, and leading universities including Seoul National University, Kookmin University and Pusan National University. The meeting reviewed development tasks, technical validation procedures and risk-management plans essential to the program’s success.

Methane engines are increasingly being recognized as the preferred choice for reusable launch systems due to their high combustion efficiency and cleaner burn. Unlike kerosene-based engines, methane engines generate far less soot, making them well suited for repeated launches. Leading global aerospace companies such as SpaceX and Blue Origin have already adopted methane engines for their launch systems.

Korean Air will lead the development of the engine’s turbopump, a core component often described as the heart of the propulsion system. The turbopump compresses liquid methane and oxidizer at extremely high pressures and speeds. Its development requires advanced engineering capable of handling cryogenic temperatures of -180°C to several hundred degrees, while rotating tens of thousands of times per minute.

“We are mobilizing our aerospace expertise to develop a high-performance, highly reliable turbopump optimized for methane engines,” said Kyungnam Kim, Head of Korean Air’s Aerospace R&D Center. “This project will help strengthen Korea’s space industry ecosystem and support the development of military satellite launch vehicles and future national defense needs.”

“Developing a methane engine is a crucial step toward positioning Korea as a leader in space defense,” said Jae Hong Son, President of KRIT. “KRIT will fully support the program by building an innovative R&D framework and a robust defense-space ecosystem to ensure successful completion.”

The technologies developed through this program will be instrumental in bolstering Korea’s national defense capabilities and establishing a strategic foundation for the country's rapidly growing commercial “New Space” sector.