Three 8U cube satellites (CubeSats) are to be launched in tandem with the Formosat-8 satellite project in October, providing further opportunities for Taiwanese industries to join the international satellite supply chain, the Taiwan Space Agency (TASA) said.
Backed by the National Science and Technology Council, the agency in 2002, then operating as the National Space Organization, launched a project to foster domestic capabilities in satellite systems integrations and in-orbit operations, culminating in last year’s launches of the 3U CubeSats Nightjar and Toro.
CubeSats are measured by units, with 1U being a block measuring 10cm on each side.
Photo courtesy of the Taiwan Space Agency
The agency’s announcement marked the commencement of the project’s second phase, which Hsinchu City-based Tron Future Tech (創未來科技) would join, as TASA seeks to launch four 8U CubeSats this year and next year.
Tron Future’s satellite would focus on providing broadband services and trialing the delivery of high-speed communications and the capacity to “hand off” from one satellite to another on the Ka-band microwave frequency.
The second satellite, developed by New Taipei City’s Rapidtek Technologies Inc (鐳洋科技), would take over the duties of Nightjar, which has completed two-way communications and has proven capable of stable reception of Ku-band microwave signals, the agency said.
Pyras Technology Inc (芳興科技), also based in New Taipei City, manufactured the Toro 1 satellite, which is expected to build on services provided by Toro and also contain an ocean color imager remote sensing instrument, the agency said.
Project head Chen Chia-jui (陳嘉瑞) said TASA is focused on missions that would provide better opportunities for commercial applications to allow more Taiwanese companies to become part of the global satellite supply chain.
Network provision on the Ka-band range offers great potential, while the implementation of Internet of Things technology could provide environmental monitoring applications, he said, adding that ocean color readings would help the fishing industry.
Along with the three 8U CubeSats and Formosat-8, the Lilium-2 and Lilium-3 satellites, jointly developed by National Cheng Kung University, National Taiwan University, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology and Tamkang University, would also be launched on Space Exploration Technologies Corp’s Transporter 15 rocket.
A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck off Yilan at 11:05pm yesterday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The epicenter was located at sea, about 32.3km east of Yilan County Hall, at a depth of 72.8km, CWA data showed There were no immediate reports of damage. The intensity of the quake, which gauges the actual effect of a seismic event, measured 4 in Yilan County area on Taiwan’s seven-tier intensity scale, the data showed. It measured 4 in other parts of eastern, northern and central Taiwan as well as Tainan, and 3 in Kaohsiung and Pingtung County, and 2 in Lienchiang and Penghu counties and 1
FOREIGN INTERFERENCE: Beijing would likely intensify public opinion warfare in next year’s local elections to prevent Lai from getting re-elected, the ‘Yomiuri Shimbun’ said Internal documents from a Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) company indicated that China has been using the technology to intervene in foreign elections, including propaganda targeting Taiwan’s local elections next year and presidential elections in 2028, a Japanese newspaper reported yesterday. The Institute of National Security of Vanderbilt University obtained nearly 400 pages of documents from GoLaxy, a company with ties to the Chinese government, and found evidence that it had apparently deployed sophisticated, AI-driven propaganda campaigns in Hong Kong and Taiwan to shape public opinion, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported. GoLaxy provides insights, situation analysis and public opinion-shaping technology by conducting network surveillance
‘POLITICAL GAME’: DPP lawmakers said the motion would not meet the legislative threshold needed, and accused the KMT and the TPP of trivializing the Constitution The Legislative Yuan yesterday approved a motion to initiate impeachment proceedings against President William Lai (賴清德), saying he had undermined Taiwan’s constitutional order and democracy. The motion was approved 61-50 by lawmakers from the main opposition Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the smaller Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), who together hold a legislative majority. Under the motion, a roll call vote for impeachment would be held on May 19 next year, after various hearings are held and Lai is given the chance to defend himself. The move came after Lai on Monday last week did not promulgate an amendment passed by the legislature that
Taiwan is gearing up to celebrate the New Year at events across the country, headlined by the annual countdown and Taipei 101 fireworks display at midnight. Many of the events are to be livesteamed online. See below for lineups and links: Taipei Taipei’s New Year’s Party 2026 is to begin at 7pm and run until 1am, with the theme “Sailing to the Future.” South Korean girl group KARA is headlining the concert at Taipei City Hall Plaza, with additional performances by Amber An (安心亞), Nick Chou (周湯豪), hip-hop trio Nine One One (玖壹壹), Bii (畢書盡), girl group Genblue (幻藍小熊) and more. The festivities are to
RSS