AEROSPACE
CubeSat enters phase 2
The Taiwan Space Agency on Wednesday announced that it has entered the second phase of a 10-year project to support the domestic development and launch of miniaturized satellites known as “CubeSats.” The program’s three-stage second phase, expected to last nine years, would involve building “6U” satellites, using the industry-standard scale where “1U” refers to the most basic CubeSat construction, the agency said. The first stage of the second phase would see the production and launch of 12 CubeSats each for remote sensing, communications and the Internet of Things, it said. The agency began accepting bids to build the three 6U satellite types on Thursday last week, it said, adding that each winning proposal would receive NT$145 million (US$4.56 million). Given the simple construction and low cost of lightweight CubeSats, the agency said it would be a suitable undertaking for space start-ups, particularly for low-volume manufacturers. The project aims to enhance the ability of Taiwan’s space industry to design and build satellites so that the country could play a more significant role in the global supply chain, the agency said.
MILITARY
Missing officer’s body found
An air force master sergeant who was reported missing while on a fishing trip has been confirmed dead, with his body recovered on Thursday afternoon in waters off Green Island (綠島) where he was stationed. The last known location of the master sergeant, surnamed Chang (張), 47, was a spot on Green Island known as Fanchuanbi (帆船鼻), where he reportedly went fishing, the Coast Guard Administration’s Eastern Branch said, citing a report filed by the air force after Chang failed to report for duty on Thursday morning. The air force last contacted Chang at 9pm on Wednesday and had been unable to reach him since, information provided to the coast guard said. The Coast Guard 13th Patrol Command on Thursday morning deployed Black Hawk helicopters and patrol boats to search for Chang, but found only his fishing equipment on the shore. The air force said in a statement later that day that it received a report from a local snorkeling tour operator at 1:18pm indicating that Chang’s body had been found, without providing further details. Chang’s body has been handed over to the police and an autopsy would be conducted to determine the cause of death. In the statement, the air force expressed regret over the “tragedy” and said it would provide the officer’s family with all necessary assistance in accordance with established procedure.
SOCIETY
Beef noodle contest opens
Taipei on Thursday announced the beginning of registration for the city’s annual beef noodle soup competition. Registration is to continue until Sept. 15, Taipei Deputy Mayor Lin Yi-hua (林奕華) told a news conference. Since its inception in 2005, the competition has flourished, highlighting the popularity of beef noodle soup across the nation, the Taipei Office of Commerce said. This year, the competition is divided into two separate categories: “Fresh Food,” with options such as red-braised, stewed and creative style beef noodles, and “Prepared Flavoring Packages” with red-braised and stewed variations, the Taipei Beef Noodle Interflow Development Association said. Gold, silver and bronze medals are to be awarded in the fresh food category, and a top 10 would be selected for the prepared flavoring package category, it said. The event is to run from Oct. 7 to 9 at Taipei Expo Park.
The coast guard on Friday took a Chinese fishing boat and the 17 people on board into custody, after it rammed into a patrol boat while attempting to flee. A 100-tonne coast guard vessel at about 8am discovered a Chinese fishing boat illegally operating in waters about 11 nautical miles (20.4km) northwest of Hsinchu, the Hsinchu offshore flotilla of the Coast Guard Administration said. The crew refused to allow law enforcement to board the ship and attempted to flee, it added. The coast guard vessel and another ship chased the fishing boat for about a half hour, during which time the Chinese boat
Vice President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday said that Beijing was trying to “annex” Taiwan, while China said its recent series of drills near Taiwan are aimed at combating the “arrogance” of separatist forces. The Ministry of National Defense earlier this month said that it had observed dozens of Chinese fighters, drones, bombers and other aircraft, as well as warships and the Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong, operating nearby. The increased frequency of China’s military activities has raised the risk of events “getting out of hand” and sparking an accidental clash, Minister of National Defense Chiu Kuo-cheng (邱國正) said last week. Asked about the spurt
China’s Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hong Kong has asked foreign consulates in Hong Kong to submit details of their local staff, which is more proof that the “one country, two systems” model no longer exists, a Taiwanese academic said. The office sent letters dated Monday last week to consulates in the territory, giving them one month to submit the information it requires. The move followed Beijing’s attempt to obtain floor plans for all properties used by foreign missions in Hong Kong last year, which raised concerns among diplomats that the information could be used for
‘ABNORMITY’: News of the military exercises on the coast of the Chinese province facing Taiwan were made public by the Ministry of National Defense on Thursday Taiwan’s military yesterday said it has detected the Chinese military initiating a round of exercises at a bay area in coastal Fujian Province, which faces Taiwan, since early yesterday morning and it has been closely monitoring the drills. The exercises being conducted at Fujian’s Dacheng Bay featured an undisclosed number of People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) warplanes, warships and ground troops, the Ministry of National Defense said in a press statement. The ministry did not disclose what kind of military exercises are being conducted there and for how long they would be happening, but it did say that it has been closely watching
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