Korean satellite to fly aboard Artemis II for radiation study

A South Korean satellite will ride aboard a U.S. rocket next year to measure space radiation as part of NASA’s Artemis II mission, the U.S. crewed lunar exploration program. Aside from Korea’s lunar orbiter Danuri, it will become the highest-orbiting Korean satellite ever launched. The mission aims to gather key radiation data to support South Korea’s ambitions for future human spaceflight.

The Korea Aerospace Administration (KASA) said Friday it had signed an implementation agreement with NASA to launch K-RadCube, a cube satellite, aboard Artemis II. Of the 54 countries participating in the Artemis program, only Korea and Germany have so far signed formal agreements for Artemis II.

Scheduled for launch in April 2026, Artemis II will send four astronauts aboard NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Orion spacecraft on a mission to orbit the Moon and return to Earth. Once deployed into high Earth orbit, K-RadCube will separate from the rocket and enter the Van Allen belt—about 70,000 kilometers above Earth—to measure space radiation. The Van Allen belt, packed with high-energy particles, is one of the most hazardous regions for human space travel. Because of the intense radiation, missions through the area must be brief. K-RadCube is expected to conduct measurements for about 28 hours, with potential for up to two weeks depending on conditions.

Measuring 36.5 centimeters by 23.7 centimeters by 22.2 centimeters and weighing 19 kilograms, K-RadCube is being developed by Naraspace, a South Korean space startup, under the leadership of the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI). After development is complete, the satellite will undergo flight certification by July before being delivered to NASA. KASI will handle operations, data collection, and analysis. The satellite will also carry a Korean-made semiconductor device designed to assess radiation effects in space. A later mission, Artemis III, aims to land astronauts on the Moon’s south pole.


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