The research team led by Professor Haesung Jo (College of Engineering, Department of Aerospace Engineering) at Jeonbuk National University (JBNU) proposed a key technology to address the growing problem of space debris and received the Excellent Paper Award from the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering.

The awarded paper, published in the Journal of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering, is entitled "Design of a Deployment Mechanism for Net-Based Space Object Capture Technology (10.5050/KSNVE.2024.34.3.349)". The study designed and fabricated a deployment device that captures space objects using a net and experimentally validated it.

The research team presented a practical technology applicable to active debris removal (ADR) at a time when accelerating space development has led to a surge in space debris posing a threat to the operation of satellites and spacecraft.

They received high marks for testing the self-built deployment device and confirming the mechanism's reliability and performance.

Professor Haesung Jo said, "Establishing a sustainable space environment in the NewSpace era is a national task," adding, "I am honored that this research may provide a practical solution for space debris removal." He emphasized, "This achievement was made possible by the devoted research participation of our graduate students," and "We will continue follow-up research to contribute to the Republic of Korea's space security and the competitiveness of future space technologies."

Professor Jo also predicted that, in step with the accelerating growth of domestic space development symbolized by the successful fourth launch of the Nuri rocket, space debris removal technology will play a central role in strengthening the nation's space capabilities.