The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and South Korea’s space agency, the Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA), have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to establish a “strategic industrial alliance.” The signing took place this week between CSA President Lisa Campbell and KASA Administrator Taeseog Oh during the 41st Space Symposium in Colorado Springs.
The agreement outlines working-level cooperation across several domains: Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite communications, Earth observation, space science and exploration, Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT), and Space Situational Awareness (SSA) and Space Traffic Management (STM).
A primary focus of the MOU is leveraging both nations’ domestic capabilities. For example, regarding Canada’s development of a LEO satellite communication network, the partnership aims to align South Korea’s satellite manufacturing capacity and ground segment infrastructure with Canadian satellite communication services and space robotics.
This high-level framework follows recent commercial momentum in the LEO sector. In January 2026, South Korea’s Hanwha Systems signed MOUs with Canadian firms MDA Space and Telesat. Those agreements focus on South Korea’s sovereign K-LEO constellation, exploring technical integrations with MDA’s AURORA software-defined satellites and Telesat’s Lightspeed network.
Highlighting the complementary nature of the two domestic sectors, KASA Administrator Oh stated that combining Canada’s capabilities with “Korea’s expertise in satellite manufacturing and space transportation will create tremendous synergy.”
To implement the agreement, the agencies will establish a working-level group to identify joint projects and facilitate alliances between private companies in both nations.
The MOU closely follows the second Team Canada Trade Mission to South Korea earlier this month. Led by Minister of International Trade Maninder Sidhu, the mission included over 180 business delegates and focused on advancing economic and technological collaboration between the two nations, specifically targeting sectors such as aerospace and advanced manufacturing.
This growing bilateral framework aligns with current Canadian commercial and scientific initiatives. Maritime Launch Services (MLS) and South Korean launch provider INNOSPACE recently signed a Letter of Intent to evaluate Spaceport Nova Scotia as a North American hub for the HANBIT launch vehicle.
Additionally, the MOU’s inclusion of space science and exploration provides a pathway that could benefit the proposed Canadian-led Cosmological Advanced Survey Telescope for Optical and uv Research (CASTOR). The Canadian Astronomical Society (CASCA) has been seeking international partners for a Phase A study and previously held informal discussions with KASA. The MOU offers a mechanism for South Korea to formally join the UK Space Agency and NASA on the project.
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