The National Space Organization (NSPO) was yesterday reorganized into a legal entity under the administration of the National Science and Technology Council, and renamed the Taiwan Space Agency (TASA) in English.
Officials said the agency would be tasked with the research, development and implementation of space-related plans and technology.
The new English-language name was chosen to give Taiwan greater international visibility, the agency said, adding that it would retain its Chinese name.
The restructuring, which was implemented in accordance with the Act for the Establishment of the Taiwan Space Agency (國家太空中心設置條例), is part of the council’s efforts to bolster Taiwan’s competitiveness in space research and demonstrates Taiwan’s global ambitions in the field, council Minister Wu Tsung-tsong (吳政忠) said.
Taiwan’s development of space science and technology dates back 30 years, and culminated in the enactment of the Space Development Act (太空發展法) on Jan. 20 last year, which was legislated in response to the growing international aerospace sector, he said.
Aside from coordinating space-related research, TASA would promote international cooperation and exchanges in space science and technology, Wu said, adding that it would also handle tasks related to rocket launch sites, including launch-vehicle registrations and launch permits.
The agency on Sept. 30 announced plans to launch a domestically designed and built rocket in 2026 as part of the Siraya Rocket Plan project, which, if successful, would be a milestone for Taiwan’s emerging space industry.
The space agency was established in 1991 as the National Space Program Office to cultivate talent in the area of space research. In 2003, it was merged with other research agencies under the National Applied Research Laboratories and was renamed the National Space Organization in 2005 before its latest reorganization.
‘NON-RED’: Taiwan and Ireland should work together to foster a values-driven, democratic economic system, leveraging their complementary industries, Lai said President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday expressed hopes for closer ties between Taiwan and Ireland, and that both countries could collaborate to create a values-driven, democracy-centered economic system. He made the remarks while meeting with an Irish cross-party parliamentary delegation visiting Taiwan. The delegation, led by John McGuinness, deputy speaker of the Irish house of representatives, known as the Dail, includes Irish lawmakers Malcolm Byrne, Barry Ward, Ken O’Flynn and Teresa Costello. McGuinness, who chairs the Ireland-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Association, is a friend of Taiwan, and under his leadership, the association’s influence has grown over the past few years, Lai said. Ireland is
A saleswoman, surnamed Chen (陳), earlier this month was handed an 18-month prison term for embezzling more than 2,000 pairs of shoes while working at a department store in Tainan. The Tainan District Court convicted Chen of embezzlement in a ruling on July 7, sentencing her to prison for illegally profiting NT$7.32 million (US$248,929) at the expense of her employer. Chen was also given the opportunity to reach a financial settlement, but she declined. Chen was responsible for the sales counter of Nike shoes at Tainan’s Shinkong Mitsukoshi Zhongshan branch, where she had been employed since October 2019. She had previously worked
FINAL COUNTDOWN: About 50,000 attended a pro-recall rally yesterday, while the KMT and the TPP plan to rally against the recall votes today Democracy activists, together with arts and education representatives, yesterday organized a motorcade, while thousands gathered on Ketagalan Boulevard in Taipei in the evening in support of tomorrow’s recall votes. Recall votes for 24 Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers and suspended Hsinchu City mayor Ann Kao (高虹安) are to be held tomorrow, while recall votes for seven other KMT lawmakers are scheduled for Aug. 23. The afternoon motorcade was led by the Spring Breeze Culture and Arts Foundation, the Tyzen Hsiao Foundation and the Friends of Lee Teng-hui Association, and was joined by delegates from the Taiwan Statebuilding Party and the Taiwan Solidarity
TRANSPORT DISRUPTION: More than 100 ferry services were suspended due to rough seas and strong winds, and eight domestic flights were canceled, the ministry said Tropical Storm Wipha intensified slightly yesterday as it passed closest to Taiwan, dumping more than 200mm of rain in Hualien and Taitung counties, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. As of 11am, Wipha was about 210km southwest of Cape Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻) and was moving west-northwest at 27km per hour (kph). The storm carried maximum sustained winds of 101kph and gusts reaching 126kph, with a 150km radius of strong winds, CWA data showed. Wipha’s outer rainbands began sweeping across Taiwan early yesterday, delivering steady rainfall in the east and scattered showers in other regions, forecasters said. More heavy rain was expected, especially in the eastern
RSS