VF Space wins grand prize at 2026 Goyang IR Day for metal DED 3D printing of space components, plans Nuri-5 demo

VF Space, a student-founded startup from Korea Aerospace University, won the grand prize at the 2026 Goyang IR Day for its wire-laser directed energy deposition (WLAM) metal 3D printing technology. The company, led by undergraduate CEO Yang Jun-young, has developed its own printer, Gaia, and a small rocket, Hyperion Junior. It was selected as a Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) family company in 2025.

VF Space plans to qualify its printed components in orbit via the Nuri-5 launch later this year, carrying parts for a KAIST CubeSat. The win signals growing domestic interest in DED as a cost-effective alternative to powder-bed fusion for large space structures, though the company remains at a very early stage with no disclosed production contracts or revenue. The practical take: VF Space's path to credibility depends entirely on successful space qualification in the Nuri-5 mission, not on pitch competition outcomes.