Research Areas

Research Areas

Focus Research Areas

With the aim of developing the skills and knowledge needed for future prosperity, the Department of Aerospace Engineering at KAIST has defined five areas of focus that will serve as the foundations for rich cross-disciplinary collaborations with other national and international institutions.
To provide significant technological and societal impact and to cultivate next-generation engineers and scientists, we explore cutting-edge science and technology in Airborne Vehicle Technology, Space Systems, Aerospace Information and Intelligence, Aerodynamics and Structural Mechanics, and Propulsion and Energy.

Focus Research Areas
  • Airborne Vehicle Technology
  • Aerospace Information and Intelligence
  • Propulsion and Energy
  • Space Systems
  • Aerodynamics and Structural Mechanics
핵심 연구분야
  • Focus Research Areas
    • Airborne Vehicle Technology
    • Aerospace Information and Intelligence
    • Propulsion and Energy
    • Space Systems
    • Aerodynamics and Structural Mechanics
Airborne Vehicle Technology

Airborne Vehicle Technology applies to the design and development of aircraft, helicopter, UAV, etc. Major topics related to this field are as follows.

  • Aerodyanmics of fixed-rotor aircraft, helicopter, UAS and guided weapon
  • New aircraft concept with improved crash-durability
  • UAS, Drone, missile guidance and control
  • rban Air Mobility (UAM) design
Related Laboratories
전산유체역학을 이용한 항공우주시스템 공력 해석 (좌: UH-60 헬리콥터, 우: KSLV-I 발사체)

Aerodynamic analysis of aerospace system using CFD (left: UH-60 helicopter, right: KSLV-I rocket)

미사일 유도/제어 연구

Missile guidance and control

항공기의 내충격 구조 설계

Structural design for shock resistance

극초음속 비행체 궤적/엔진 통합 제어

Integrated control for hypersonic vehicle flight

Space Systems

Research on space launch vehicle, satellite development and utilization, and space science and explorations has been conducted in the field of space systems engineering. Principal research topics in this field include the following:

  • Development of Sounding Rockets
  • Development of CubeSat Systems (Successful communication for the first time in Korea in 2017): Little Intelligent Nanosatellite of KAIST (LINK)
  • Research on Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) and GNSS-based Remote Sensing
  • Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology (ALHAT)
  • Development of Multipurpose Flight Analysis Program for conceptual design of space vehicles
Labs/Professors (link)
과학 로켓 개발

development of Sounding Rocket

초소형 (큐브) 위성 개발 연구

Development of Nanosatellite and CubeSat

(좌) GNSS 성능 분석 시뮬레이션, (우) GNSS 기반의 전리층 특성 연구

GNSS performance analysis and GNSS-based Ionospheric study

Space Debris 제거를 위한 복수 targe 랑데부 최적화 연구

Research on multi-target rendezvous optimization for Space Debris Removal

위성 Jitter 분석 및 저감 기술

Satellite Jitter Analysis and Reduction technology

Aerospace Information and Intelligence

The research area of aerospace information and intelligence covers high-precision guidance and control of aircraft/spacecraft, machine learning and artificial intelligence, multi-agent systems, etc. Topics include the followings:

  • mission assignment and cooperative control for multi-agent systems
  • machine learning-based mission/trajectory planning and scheduling of intelligent UAV systems in the dynamic environment
  • safety improvement of aircraft take-off/landing based on the high-precision GNSS system
  • whole life-cycle integrity monitoring of aircraft/spacecraft
  • aerospace communications and data processing
Labs/Professors (link)
학습 기반의 복수 무인기 임무/경로 계획 연구

learning-based multi-UAV mission/trajectory planning

공중 센서 네트워크 분산 협업 기법 연구

distributed collaboration of aerial sensor networks

(좌) Smart Hangar / (우) 구조 건전성 모니터링 시스템

(left) Smart Hangar / (right) structure integrity monitoring systems

항공 영상 데이터 처리 딥러닝 신경망 (위) CNN 기반 (아래) GAN 기반

Deep learning neural networks for aerial image data processing

위성군 임무 할당 및 스케줄링 연구

mission assignment and scheduling in the satellite constellation

Aerodynamics and Structures

In the field of aerodynamics and structures, research has been conducted on fluids, structures, and the interactions between them. Representative research topics in this field include the following:

  • Development of aerodynamic analysis/design programs based on aligned and unaligned grids that have been used in major national aerospace R&D projects
  • Numerical/experimental studies on various low/high-speed flow phenomena
  • Modeling and numerical/experimental research on the behavior of aerospace structures in extreme environments
  • Multi-functional smart structure research with various functions such as structural safety monitoring, radar absorption material research, active vibration control, etc.
Labs/Professors (link)
풍력 블레이드의 유체-구조 연계 해석

Fluid-Structure Combined Analysis of Wind Blades

다양한 고속공기역학(추진 포함) 지상 실험

Various high-speed aerodynamics (including propulsion) ground-tests

저 레이놀즈수 영역에서 공력 가시화

Visualization of aerodynamics in the low Reynolds number region

우주물체 충돌 보호 구조 설계 연구

Space object collision; Protection structure design study

레이다 흡수 구조물 연구

Radar Absorption Structure Research

Propulsion and Energy

The propulsion and combustion group conducts fundamental and applied research in a wide range of areas, including monopropellant rocket thrusters, high-pressure cryogenic combustion phenomena, unsteady spray combustion dynamics, combustion instabilities in lean-premixed gas turbine engines, underwater/ramjet propulsion, solid propellants, and modern energetic materials. The numerical program specializes in large eddy simulation of combustion phenomena. Our research programs are devoted to improving our understanding of the reacting and non-reacting flow physics that control the performance of rocket and air-breathing engines. Main research subjects are as follows:

  • Development of earth-based lander testbed for space flights and mono- and bipropellant thrusters for attitude control of upper stage space rockets
  • Lean-premixed hydrogen combustion technology for low-emission gas turbine engines (combustion dynamics, flame structures, stabilization mechanisms, exhaust emissions)
  • Robust and massively-parallel numerical simulations for unsteady reacting flows in gas turbines and rocket thrust chambers
관련 연구실
이원추진제 추력기 / 접촉점화성추진제 추력기 / 하이브리드추진제 추력기 연소 시험

Bipropellant thruster / Hypergolic propellant combustion / Hybrid propellant combustion test

Experimental and theoretical investigations of combustion instabilities in aircraft and heavy-duty gas turbine combustors

Experimental and theoretical investigations of combustion instabilities in aircraft and heavy-duty gas turbine combustors

고정밀도 난류연소 시뮬레이션을 통한 화염의 동적특성 연구

High fidelity numerical simulations for turbulent flame dynamics

Three Strategic Initiatives: “By 2035 / by KAIST AE”

We selected three strategic initiatives whose goals are achievable by leveraging the core competencies in the focus areas. We can lead these initiatives and create significant impacts; at the same time, the initiatives will help strengthen and expand the core competencies we have in the focus areas.

By 2035, Deep Space Exploration by KAIST AE

Development of smallsats and upper stage rocket

Deep-space communication system

KAIST 과학로켓 Mock-Up: Perigee Aerospace社 (KAIST AE 학부생 Start-Up)

KAIST Rounding Rocket (Mock-Up) by Perigee Aerospace, a Start-Up Founded by a KAIST AE student

By 2035, Urban Air Mobility System by KAIST AE

Development of core subsystems, System integration

Urban air traffic management

호버바이크: 학과 교수 6명 참여, 미래도전과제로 연구 수행 중

Hover-Bike Project (Six KAIST AE faculty members are participating, PI: Prof. Hyo-Choong Bang)

By 2035, Hypersonic Transportation System by KAIST AE

Conceptual and preliminary design of hypersonic vehicles

Ground testings

극초음속 유동 실험 연구를 위한 Shock Tunnel

Shock Tunnel: Hypersonic Aerodynamics Lab.