In this issue of the EE Newsletter, we investigated the Naro Science Satellite and visited the KAIST Satellite Technology Research Center (STRC) for an interview into the electrical engineering satellite technology that went into the satellite and, furthermore, about space science and technology in general. We hope that this article will demonstrate the relationship between space technology and electrical engineering, and spark interest in it.
Q. Greetings, Mr. Park. Please introduce yourself.
A. I graduated my bachelor’s program with the class of ’86 before the integration of KAIST. Right before my graduation, I studied abroad at the University of Surrey in the UK to develop Korea’s first satellite, Wooribyeol I, that launched exactly 20 years ago in 1992. After coming back to Korea in the July of 1992, I worked at the KAIST STRC for 8 years. In that time, I worked as the Project Manager for developing the Wooribyeol II and Wooribyeol III satellites. Currently, I am the founder and CEO of Satrec Initiative (SI).
Q. Can you give a short explanation as to what SI does?
A. SI was founded in the December of 1999 with the members from the KAIST STRC that participated in the development of Korea’s first small-scale satellite and its two successors. In 2008, it was listed in KOSDAQ as the nation’s only satellite export company, while 60% of its members were master’s or doctorate’s graduates.
