Taiwan is stepping up its efforts to tap into the global aerospace market, with a focus on developing a specific kind of satellite, Minister of Science and Technology Wu Tsung-tsong (吳政忠) said on July 6.
The development of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites are particularly worth pursuing for Taiwan, Wu said in an interview with the Central News Agency, referring to orbits with a maximum altitude of 2,000km.
“It is an opportunity Taiwan definitely cannot afford to miss,” Wu said.
Photo: CNA
Such satellites, which are often deployed in constellations, have a relatively short life cycle of two to four years compared with larger ones and therefore offer more of an opportunity for Taiwanese businesses, he said.
LEO satellites are crucial to the development of the Internet of Things (IoT), which has been pursued by global technology and communications heavyweights such as SpaceX, Amazon and OneWeb, he said.
LEO communications satellites, which are relatively inexpensive, can be launched in large enough numbers to economically provide sufficient bandwidth for data transmission rates that IoT applications require, he said.
This means that there is a high-demand sector that no longer relies on highly advanced technology only affordable to superpowers, Wu said, adding that the sector has a relatively low market threshold that countries like Taiwan can explore.
Taiwan hopes to one day manufacture its own LEO satellites, he said.
The government this year launched a four-year, NT$4 billion (US$142.83 million) project with the aim of launching its first LEO communications satellite in 2025.
In the meantime, Taiwan can capitalize on its years of experience as an original equipment manufacturer to become part of the LEO satellite supply chain, National Space Organization Acting Director-General Yu Shiann-jeng (余憲政) said.
About a dozen Taiwanese companies — including Microelectronics Technology Inc, Win Semiconductors and Kinpo Electronics — are providing components and ground-based reception equipment for SpaceX, Yu said.
With maturer technology and more experience, Taiwanese firms could extend their reach to provide more comprehensive modules with greater added value, he said.
Also expected to help is the Space Development Promotion Act (太空發展法), which was promulgated at the end of May.
The act, which regulates the nation’s space-based activities, shows the world Taiwan’s ambition to carve out its own niche in the space economy, Wu said.
It covers four areas — setting principles of development that are aligned with international space laws, regulating space-based activities to ensure safety, establishing rocket launch sites and promoting industrial development, Wu said.
The ministry is designated as the regulator of the sector and will establish a dedicated agency to deal with related affairs, he said.
Chinese spouse and influencer Guan Guan’s (關關) residency permit has been revoked for repeatedly posting pro-China videos that threaten national security, the National Immigration Agency confirmed today. Guan Guan has said many controversial statements in her videos posted to Douyin (抖音), including “the red flag will soon be painted all over Taiwan” and “Taiwan is an inseparable part of China,” and expressing hope for expedited reunification. The agency last year received multiple reports alleging that Guan Guan had advocated for armed reunification. After verifying the reports, the agency last month issued a notice requiring her to appear and explain her actions. Guan
GIVE AND TAKE: Blood demand continues to rise each year, while fewer young donors are available due to the nation’s falling birthrate, a doctor said Blood donors can redeem points earned from donations to obtain limited edition Formosan black bear travel mugs, the Kaohsiung Blood Center said yesterday, as it announced a goal of stocking 20,000 units of blood prior to the Lunar New Year. The last month of the lunar year is National Blood Donation Month, when local centers seek to stockpile blood for use during the Lunar New Year holiday. The blood demand in southern Taiwan — including Tainan and Kaohsiung, as well as Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Taitung counties — is about 2,000 units per day, the center said. The donation campaign aims to boost
The Kaohsiung Tourism Bureau audited six hotels in an effort to prevent price gouging ahead of Korean band BTS’ concert tour in the city scheduled for Nov. 19, 21 and 22 this year. The bureau on Friday said that the audits — conducted in response to allegations of unfair pricing posted on social media — found no wrongdoing. These establishments included the local branches of Chateau de Chine, Hotel Nikko, My Humble House, and Grand Hai Lai, it said, adding that the Consumer Protection Commission would have penalized price gougers had the accusations been substantiated. The bureau said the Tourism Development Act
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) said a magnitude 4.9 earthquake that struck off the coast of eastern Taiwan yesterday was an independent event and part of a stress-adjustment process. The earthquake occurred at 4:47pm, with its epicenter at sea about 45.4km south of Yilan County Hall at a depth of 5.9km, the CWA said. The quake's intensity, which gauges the actual effects of a temblor, was highest in several townships in Yilan and neighboring Hualien County, where it measured 4 on Taiwan's seven-tier intensity scale, the CWA said. Lin Po-yu (林柏佑), a division chief at the CWA's Seismological Center, told a news conference
RSS