[Administration] Establishment of Research Cooperation Between KHU and University of Surrey
Professor Yoon Jeong-ho’s research team from the Department of Environmental Science & Environmental Engineering at Kyung Hee University (KHU) is conducting joint research with the University of Surrey in the United Kingdom. To align with the trend towards the miniaturization of satellites, there has been a focus on the development of components that are lightweight and can resist radiation in space.
What Research is Conducted? Prof. Yoon’s research team from KHU was selected for the 2023 Overseas Excellent Research Institute Collaboration Hub Construction Project. This project was supported by the Ministry of Science and Information and Communication Technologies and the National Research Foundation of South Korea. It involves Prof. Yoon’s team undertaking the Next-generation Radiation Resistance Enhancement and Lightweight Space Solar Cell Research and Development Project from July 2023 to December 2028. The team intends to develop and apply perovskite solar cells, which are expected to be lighter than the existing space solar cells, aiding the drive towards satellite miniaturization. Perovskite solar cells are known for high power generation per unit mass, which is anticipated to contribute to making satellites lighter.
Joint Research with the Surrey: A Synergistic Approach Surrey actively conducts research in the space industry, fostering high expectations for the synergistic effects of its joint research with KHU. Surrey, a United Kingdom university with a strong orientation towards space industry research, played a significant role in the production of Wooribyeol 1, the first Korean satellite. Furthermore, the AlSat-1N TFSC Flight Payload, which Surrey launched in 2016, boasts technology very much advanced that it remains as the only payload in the world still operational and capable of transmitting power generation data in real-time. Professor Craig Underwood, who supervised the project, is a participant in this current project. Prof. Yoon from KHU brings valuable empirical modularization technology to the project, enabling the analysis of the structure and electrical characteristics of space solar cells, which are then segmented into smaller units for radiation testing. Additionally, Prof. Yoon has expertise in synthesizing both organic and inorganic halide single crystals and in creating photoelectric devices, including high-efficiency solar cells.
How will the Research Proceed? The research team intends to set up an international joint research center in the Global Campus of KHU. With the establishment of the center, there will be an installation of vacuum deposition equipment essential for producing large-area solar cells. Additional apparatus, such as a glove box for solar cell production and a solar simulator for evaluating performance, will support the research efforts. Prof. Jin Ho and Moon Yong-jae from the Department of Astronomy & Space Science at KHU will contribute as advisory committee members. The Korea Testing Institute’s Space Components Test Center will oversee the verification and development of testing technology for space solar cells. The objective of the center is to demonstrate and validate the space solar cells created by KHU and its collaborative partners within the space environment and to establish standardized verification technology.
This research holds substantial promise for the future of the space industry as it aims to facilitate the development of cost-effective, lightweight space solar cells and materials for satellite components. It also endeavors to establish new space verification technologies through international collaboration. This project represents a step towards localizing the production of space exploration components and is anticipated to be pivotal in elevating the technological edge of the space industry of South Korea. Furthermore, the materials, processes, and verification technologies developed through this project will contribute to the creation of additional space devices. This international endeavor, melding Surrey’s modularization technology with KHU’s halide single crystal synthesis and photoelectric device technology, is expected to foster considerable synergy between the two institutions.
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