The first satellite of the Taiwan-made Formosat-8 constellation project successfully lifted off yesterday morning from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, according to the Taiwan Space Agency (TASA).
SpaceX’s Transporter-15 rocket carried the satellite, named the “Chi Po-lin Satellite” (齊柏林衛星) after the late Taiwanese documentary director known for recording Taiwan through aerial imagery, into space at 2:44am after a slight delay from the scheduled launch time of 2:18am, to avoid a possible collision with another satellite in orbit, TASA said.
The satellite, codenamed FS-8A, is one of eight in the Formosat-8 constellation and is expected to capture ground details at a resolution of 1m, sharpening to 0.7m after processing, to study the frequent natural disasters and security risks Taiwan faces.
Photo courtesy of the Taiwan Space Agency
During the countdown of the launch, TASA Director-General Wu Jong-shinn (吳宗信) said he was very nervous, as the FS-8A felt like his own baby.
Now the satellite has been launched, Wu said he has embraced high expectations that it would leverage high-resolution imagery to collect data multiple times a day to provide comprehensive observation capabilities.
The launch of FS-8A had been postponed five times due to conflicts in launch schedules, a US government shutdown and the need for more preparatory work, project leader Cynthia Liu (劉小菁) said.
Photo courtesy of the Taiwan Space Agency
According to TASA, the Formosat-8 constellation would be able to do more than just provide clearer images; it would be operating in a sun-synchronous orbit 561km above Earth.
With more satellites, Formosat-8’s revisit rate — the frequency of imaging the same location on Earth — would also improve, according to Liu.
President William Lai (賴清德), who named the satellite, in a recorded video said that the successful launch of FS-8A is not only the beginning of the Formosat-8 project, but also a milestone in Taiwan’s space industry development.
Citing an ambition unveiled in his inauguration speech on May 20 last year, Lai said the government would continue to work with industry and academia to develop the next generation of medium and low-orbit communications satellites to put Taiwan’s space and aerospace industries on the international stage.
Lai expressed gratitude for the efforts of the local space industry to make the launch of FS-8A a reality, to allow the Chi Po-lin Satellite to safeguard Taiwan, and to let the world witness Taiwan’s ambitions, courage and achievements.
National Science and Technology Council Minister Wu Cheng-wen (吳誠文) said the satellite showcased Taiwan’s strength in the space industry, and the launch is expected to pave the way for diversified applications and value-added services in aerial imagery, which would bring tremendous business opportunities for Taiwanese tech firms.
Chi’s son, Chi Yen-huan (齊延洹), described the launch as replacing his father as a protector of Taiwan, but from a higher perspective.
His father filmed eye-opening aerial imagery and videos of Taiwan, which showed its natural beauty, but also environmental degradation when its land and rivers are exploited for profit and not well taken care of, he said.
Chi Po-lin died in a helicopter crash in 2017.
“Chi Po-lin is not only a person’s name or an individual, but will represent Taiwan’s spirit,” the Chi Yen-huan said.
The Formosat-8 constellation is expected to be fully deployed in 2031, and would “support disaster management, national security and global collaboration,” according to a TASA video released last month to introduce the program.
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