Taiwan's space agency has signed a memorandum of understanding with Russian researchers to coordinate the joint development of a non-military satellite program, an official said yesterday.
Chen Shao-shing (
The satellite would be for space research only, Chen said, adding that it would have no military applications or even be capable of capable of carrying communications or observation equipment. "This is purely an inter-university project, there is no military involvement," Chen said.
Chen denied local media reports that Taiwan would have to kick in one-third of the cost -- or US$1.7 million -- of the project, saying it was far too early to be discussing budgetary limits.
"We must first coordinate with all the universities in Taiwan, and if they're not interested then there will be nothing more to do," Chen said, pointing out that Tamkang University and National Cheng Kung University had aerospace departments and could be interested.
Taiwan has encountered problems in both finding foreign partners with whom to develop satellite technology and eventually launch them due to pressure from Beijing on the international community against aiding Taiwan's space program. Taiwan's first satellite ROCSAT-1, was launched in 1999.
A second, ROCSAT-2, is being built by France's Matra Marconi Space and will provide pictures of the earth from its 891km-high orbit throughout its five-year mission. Launch date is set at 2003.
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