perigeeaerospace

About perigeeaerospace

Perigee Aerospace is a South Korean space mobility company specializing in the development and manufacturing of orbital launch vehicles for small satellites. Founded in 2018 by Yoon Shin and Youngjin Song, the company is pioneering the nation's private aerospace sector. Yoon Shin, who serves as CEO, was an undergraduate and later a Master's student in Aerospace Engineering at KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology), a top research university that supports the company.

The company's business model centers on providing affordable and customized launch services for the growing market of small satellites, targeting payloads between 50-500kg for clients like self-driving service businesses and communications companies. Perigee aims to reduce launch costs significantly by utilizing eco-friendly liquid methane fuel and constructing its rockets with lightweight carbon fiber composites. Its flagship product is the Blue Whale 1 (BW1), a two-stage, partially reusable orbital launch vehicle designed to deliver a 150-200 kg payload to a 500 km Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO). The rocket is powered by nine in-house developed "Blue 1S" engines for its first stage and a single "Skyblue" engine for the second stage. The company has received venture capital backing from notable investors, including Samsung Venture Investments, LB Investment, and The Korean Development Bank.

Perigee has established key infrastructure, including a rocket development complex in Okcheon and a maritime launch site in Jeju. The company achieved significant milestones, such as South Korea's first private liquid-fueled rocket test launch in 2021. It plans to begin commercial flights with the Blue Whale 1 in 2025 or 2026, offering launches at a competitive price point of under $3 million. Perigee has also formed strategic partnerships, including an agreement with the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) for launch operations and debris recovery and with Dawn Aerospace to jointly develop propulsion systems.