A combustion test of Perigee's 3-ton-class turbopump liquid methane engine. Courtesy of Perigee Aerospace

Domestic launch vehicle company Perigee Aerospace (Perigee) announced on the 13th that it has been selected as the final company for the Korea Aerospace Administration's (KASA) project to develop a high-performance upper-stage engine for small launch vehicles.

The project aims to develop a high-performance upper-stage engine to be mounted on a two-stage small space launch vehicle. It is a competitive, three-phase program spanning six years. In this elimination-style format, companies compete to lead the rocket engine development from its initial design and are evaluated every two years, with one company being dropped at each stage. Perigee became the sole company to pass the second phase and advance to the third. It will now perform final engine assembly and combustion tests.

Perigee was recognized for successfully manufacturing and testing the components of its 3-ton-class turbopump liquid methane engine, conducting functional and performance tests on individual parts, and successfully completing the Critical Design Review (CDR).

"This is the fruit of a public-private partnership, combining Perigee's technological prowess with the continuous support from KASA and the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI)," said Lee Eun-kwang, Vice President of Perigee. "Based on our accumulated experience in methane engine design and testing, we will take on this significant responsibility as the final selected company and successfully complete the development of the upper-stage engine."