Boryung Signs Space Research MOU With DLR

At the MOU signing ceremony held at Boryung’s headquarters in Jongno-gu, Seoul, Boryung Chief Executive Officer Kim Jeong-gyun (left) and Jens Jordan, Director of the Institute of Aerospace Medicine at the German Aerospace Center (DLR), pose for a commemorative photo after signing. (Courtesy of Boryung)  Boryung has moved to build a practical revenue model for its space business by securing its first potential customer to actually use its space life-sciences research infrastructure. Boryung said on Oct. 23 that it recently signed a memorandum of understanding, or MOU, with the German Aerospace Center (DLR) for research cooperation in the field of space life sciences and the use of infrastructure. The two sides will discuss ways to experiment with and verify not only jointly identified research projects but also space medicine research independently pursued by the German Aerospace Center using Boryung’s space infrastructure. In particular, they plan to establish a customized testbed by reflecting from the infrastructure design stage the experimental environment, equipment, operating conditions and other requirements needed by DLR researchers. Starting with this cooperation, Boryung plans to identify additional potential customers for its second and third deals. The company aims to take the lead in space research demand by designing and providing infrastructure tailored to the objectives and requirements of each research institution. Boryung has so far laid the foundation for its space business through strategic investments. After investing in U.S. space company Axiom Space at the end of 2022, it established the joint venture BRAX Space and secured domestic business rights to use Axiom’s space infrastructure. The German Aerospace Center is one of the institutions leading space medicine research alongside the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the European Space Agency (ESA). In particular, through "envihab," a facility at the Institute of Aerospace Medicine in Cologne, Germany, it is conducting precise research on the effects of the space environment on the human body. Boryung believes the German Aerospace Center’s specific research demand will play a key role in strengthening the competitiveness of its infrastructure. Kim Jeong-gyun, Chief Executive Officer of Boryung, said, "It is a meaningful outcome in which the business foundation we have built through investment and partnerships has been connected to actual research demand," adding, "We will enhance the competitiveness of our infrastructure by gathering the views of partner institutions and continue securing additional customers." Anke Pagels-Kerp, Divisional Board Member for Space at the German Aerospace Center, welcomed progress in cooperation with Boryung, noting that international partnerships are a driving force in opening new paths for scientific cooperation. Jens Jordan, Director of the Institute of Aerospace Medicine, also said the cooperation would serve as an opportunity to respond to new scientific demand. Boryung said it plans to continue creating specific business opportunities by linking with the research networks that the German Aerospace Center has already established with NASA, ESA and others.