The National Space Organization (NSPO) said yesterday that a critical sensor module in its satellite program would be built by a Taiwanese corporation, in keeping with its policy of developing domestic space-related industries.
The decision marked a switch by the organization, which has traditionally relied on more mainstream image sensors based on the tried-and-tested charge-coupled device (CCD) system.
Officials said the decision to abandon the system was made because of tighter export controls in the US and other countries on high-tech models used in military and satellite imagery.
PHOTO: TANG CHIA-LING, TAIPEI TIMES; ORIGINAL IMAGES COURTESY OF
Previous satellite launches by the government-run organization have all utilized the CCD system, which is used to process images shot from space and downlink them to servers based in Hsinchu.
The new satellites are expected to use sensors based on complementary metal oxide semiconductors (CMOS), a technology that officials said Taiwan’s manufacturing industry currently dominates.
They said the image quality of the technology, which has lower power requirements, has caught up with that of the CCD since the development of active pixel sensor (APS) technologies.
The technology was praised by NSPO vice director Chang Guey-shin (張桂祥), who is also head of the satellite program.
He said a primary focus of the multi-million dollar programs was also to upgrade domestic enterprises.
FORMOSAT-5 will mark the formal beginning of the “second phase” in satellite development, the NSPO said.
While the first phase was marked by overseas procurement, the second phase would emphasize indigenous development of critical technologies, including spacecraft bus and optical remote sensing instruments.
The new satellite is expected to include components from domestic corporations and research institutions, officials said.
While the CMOS sensor will be supplied by Taoyuan-based CMOS Sensor, other areas, including lens assembly, will be handled by the Aerospace Industrial Development Corp.
Overall module performance has been consistent in tests with samples from the CCD-equipped FORMOSAT-2 satellite and exceeded the older sensor in several lighting conditions, Chang said.
“It showcases that our domestic capabilities have the potential to lead the world,” he said.
Officials said the sensor module included in the FORMOSAT-5 will primarily be used to monitor the environment of Taiwan and its surrounding shorelines.
It will be an extension of FORMOSAT-2, which fulfilled its five-year mission last May.
The organization said that there was an 80 percent to 90 percent chance of success, with the risk of failure coming from untested technology and structural risks.
Speaking to reporters yesterday, state-funded National Applied Research Laboratories president Chen Wen-hwa (陳文華) said that if the mission proved to be a success, it would have enormous implications for the development of the nation’s space program.
“We could soon see a [satellite] launch every one or two years due to the upgrading of our domestic technologies,” Chen said. “Success here … could increase our standing in the world.”
The estimated launch date for the satellite is currently pegged at 2013, although officials said this could change pending further testing.
The satellite is expected to orbit at an altitude of 720km with an operating lifespan of five years.
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