Hanwha's $35.9B Space & AI Investment by 2040

Hanwha plans to invest 55 trillion won, or about $35.9 billion, by 2040. This investment targets the aerospace and artificial intelligence sectors. The goal is to build independent space transport capabilities and defense AI infrastructure. This comes as the "New Space" era shifts from government to private sector leadership. Hanwha Vice Chairman Kim Dong-kwan presented this "AI Space Powerhouse Mid-to-Long-Term Strategy." He emphasized that developing independent launch vehicles is the first step in securing space sovereignty. Hanwha Aerospace will invest 23 trillion won into space launch vehicles. Hanwha Systems will put 20 trillion won into very low Earth orbit satellites, space AI data centers, and a low Earth orbit satellite communication network. Over 10 trillion won is allocated for a defense AI data center and 2 trillion won for a defense AI model called "Defense OS." Hanwha Systems aims to launch 64 SAR satellites by 2031 for real-time ground object detection. A low Earth orbit communication network, called the "Korean version of Starlink," will start with 192 satellites. This significant investment highlights a push for independent space capabilities and advanced AI.