The Executive Yuan has agreed to allocate a budget of NT$25.9 billion (US$843.48 million) to a third space program proposed by the Ministry of Science and Technology, Premier William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday, adding that he expects the nation to become increasingly independent in developing space technology.
Over the next decade, the ministry should work toward enhancing its research of space technology and apply the results to assist in industrial development, as well as improving different aspects of life, he said.
Lai made the remarks at the ministry’s National Space Organization (NSPO) in the Hsinchu Science Park while examining the agency’s preparations to transport the Formosat-7 satellite constellation to the US.
Photo: CNA
Formosat-7 — which is part of the ministry’s second space program and developed in collaboration with the US — is comprised of six microsatellites and was designed to take over the mission of collecting weather data from the Formosat-3 constellation, which has been in operation for 12 years, the agency said.
Formosat-7 is expected to collect two to three times more data than Formosat-3, while its data downloads would be six times faster, NSPO Director-General Lin Chun-liang (林俊良) said.
While Lai said that Formosat-7 would be delivered to the US at the end of next month, agency officials appeared more reserved about its launch schedule, which has been postponed several times.
The satellite cluster will most likely be launched next year, Lin said, adding that the actual date has yet to be determined.
As Formosat-7’s launch is managed by the US Air Force and US company SpaceX, the NSPO can only wait for notification two months prior to launch, he said.
The US has been willing to work with Taiwan to develop the Formosat-3 and Formosat-7 programs because Taiwanese scientists have demonstrated their competence in integrating various systems to control satellites, Minister of Science and Technology Chen Liang-gee (陳良基) said, adding that Formosat-7 would be operated by the NSPO.
Following the first two space programs — the first running from 1991 to 2006 and the second from 2004 to the end of this year — the nation has proved its preliminary ability to design a satellite, he said.
The third space program, which is scheduled to start next year and run until 2028, is to focus on satellite development by Taiwanese scientists, with the NSPO planning to launch nine satellites over the next decade, Lin said, but added that the initial development process might take more time.
While the Executive Yuan has approved funding for the third space program, the details of the program have not been finalized, Chen said, adding that the entire program would be announced before the end of the year.
CONGRESSIONAL SUPPORT: A new committee would investigate a backlog of US weapons sales to Taiwan, said its chairman, US Representative Mike Gallagher The US should formally recognize Taiwan as an independent nation, and end its outdated and counterproductive “one China” policy, US Representative Tom Tiffany and 18 other US lawmakers wrote in a petition. “It is time to change the status quo and recognize the reality denied by the US government for decades: Taiwan is an independent nation,” Tiffany told the Epoch Times. “As our long-standing and valued partner, correctly acknowledging their independence from communist China is long overdue.” The resolution also asks the administration of US President Joe Biden to support Taiwan’s membership in international organizations and to negotiate a bilateral free-trade
GUT FEELING: In the leaked memo, US Air Force General Mike Minihan urged mobile command personnel to go to a firing range, shoot at a target and ‘aim for the head’ A four-star US Air Force general has warned of a conflict with China as early as 2025 — most likely over Taiwan — and urged his commanders to push their units to achieve maximum operational battle readiness this year. In an internal memorandum that first emerged on social media on Friday, and was later confirmed as genuine by the Pentagon, Air Mobility Command Commander General Mike Minihan said that the main goal should be to deter “and, if required, defeat” China. “I hope I am wrong. My gut tells me we will fight in 2025,” Minihan said. Minihan said that Taiwan’s presidential election
INCREASED RISK: The Omicron BA.2.75 subvariant has higher immune evasive capacity, but the CECC is more concerned about newer subvariants such as XBB and BQ.1 With the peak season for infectious respiratory diseases coming to an end, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) yesterday said that details of the next phase of lifting COVID-19 masking rules — removing the mask requirement in most indoor settings — are to be announced this week. Discussions on lifting other COVID-19 restrictions are also being held, including further easing border control measures, home isolation requirements and revising the definition for reporting cases, while also downgrading COVID-19 to a lower category of notifiable communicable disease, said Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare Victor Wang (王必勝), who heads the CECC. As the daily
DEMOCRATIC SYSTEM: Czech president-elect Petr Pavel said his nation stands firmly on the side of democracy and would boost cooperation with Taipei in all aspects Czech president-elect Petr Pavel spoke by telephone with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday, a highly unusual move given the lack of formal ties and a diplomatic coup for Taipei. Tsai spoke with Pavel for 15 minutes in a harmonious atmosphere, Presidential Office spokeswoman Lin Yu-chan (林聿禪) said, adding that Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) was also present during the conversation. Lin quoted Pavel as telling Tsai that Taiwan is a trustworthy partner, adding that the Czech Republic stands firmly on the side of democracy and supports Taiwan in maintaining a lively democratic system free from authoritarian coercion. The Czech Republic would