LG Components Head to Orbit for First Groupwide Space Test
Five components from LG Electronics, LG Innotek and LG Energy Solution are set to undergo an in-orbit demonstration aboard a CubeSat carried by South Korea’s Nuri rocket.
LG Group is preparing its first groupwide demonstration of component technologies in space, sending equipment from three affiliates into orbit aboard South Korea’s Nuri rocket. The test marks a practical step in the conglomerate’s effort to apply its established electronics and battery capabilities to the emerging commercial space market.
LG Sciencepark, the group’s research and innovation hub, said five components have been installed on a CubeSat developed with Unmanned Exploration Laboratory, a Korean startup specializing in lunar exploration rovers. The compact satellite is scheduled to ride on Nuri’s fifth launch and, if successfully deployed, operate for about 60 days at an altitude of 570 kilometers.
The payload combines technology from LG Electronics, LG Innotek and LG Energy Solution. LG Innotek supplied a camera module, while LG Energy Solution provided a battery pack. LG Electronics contributed a power module, an attitude-control actuator and a satellite communications antenna.
During the mission, the camera is expected to photograph the Korean Peninsula and transmit its data to the ground. The power module and attitude-control actuator will regulate electricity and the satellite’s orientation. The battery pack will supply power while gathering information about its operating condition. The antenna will remain the CubeSat’s main communications link throughout the mission rather than being tested as a separate item.
The project uses a commercial off-the-shelf model, adapting components that have already demonstrated reliability on Earth for operation in orbit. This approach can reduce the cost and time required to develop specialized space hardware, potentially lowering the barrier for private companies seeking to enter the sector.
LG Sciencepark said data gathered in orbit will help assess how reliably the components perform under actual space conditions and guide further improvements. The group plans additional tests of satellite payload technology and is targeting the launch of its own CubeSat in 2028 as it explores new space-related businesses.
The collaboration grew out of Superstart, LG’s open-innovation platform. LG Sciencepark selected Unmanned Exploration Laboratory for startup support in 2023 and has backed it through an incubation program since 2024. LG has also discussed possible space-sector cooperation with the Korea AeroSpace Administration, while LG Energy Solution partnered with US startup South 8 Technologies in 2025 to develop aerospace battery cells.
LG Sciencepark President Chung Sue-hyun described the launch as an initial test of how LG technology performs beyond Earth, saying the group intends to continue validating its capabilities while looking for ways to support South Korea’s space industry ecosystem.