The National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) yesterday announced that it has selected Jiupeng Village (九棚) in Pingtung County’s Manjhou Township (滿州) as the location for the nation's national space mission launch site.
The decision was the result of a comprehensive review conducted by an inter-agency panel, which evaluated environmental conditions, launch conditions, development execution and potential for further development, the Cabinet-level agency said in a news release.
The site was chosen due to its advantages in terms of land acquisition, size, usability and lack of environmentally sensitive areas, the council said.
Photo: courtesy of the Pingtung County Government
Both Jiupeng Village in Pingtung and Liubetj indigenous village in Taitung County’s Dajen Township (達仁) met the basic criteria for space technology development, but the Pingtung site had clearer advantages, the NSTC said.
NSTC officials said that the National Launch Site would help promote the nation’s space industry and be integrated with local efforts to boost technology, education and tourism, such as the construction of a space-themed museum.
Pingtung County Commissioner Chou Chun-mi (周春迷) said on Facebook that the decision was “exciting.”
“The space industry is ready to take off in Pingtung,” she said.
The next steps include more detailed planning and environmental evaluations, with the project expected to be completed by 2030 or 2031 at the earliest, the NSTC said.
The Taiwan Space Agency, which operates under the NSTC, was established in 2023 following the restructuring of the National Space Organization, the agency's Web site said.
The space agency already operates a Sounding Rocket Launch Site in Pingtung County’s Mudan Township (牡丹), where rocket research test flights have been conducted since 2022, the agency’s Web site says.
The agency focuses on “enhancing the Taiwan space technology research and development capabilities, implementing national space policies and plans, and promoting Taiwan space activities and the development of the space industry,” it says.
“China is preparing to invade Taiwan,” Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Francois Wu (吳志中) said in an exclusive interview with British media channel Sky News for a special report titled, “Is Taiwan ready for a Chinese invasion?” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today in a statement. The 25-minute-long special report by Helen Ann-Smith released yesterday saw Sky News travel to Penghu, Taoyuan and Taipei to discuss the possibility of a Chinese invasion and how Taiwan is preparing for an attack. The film observed emergency response drills, interviewed baseball fans at the Taipei Dome on their views of US President
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) today issued a "tsunami watch" alert after a magnitude 8.7 earthquake struck off the Kamchatka Peninsula in northeastern Russia earlier in the morning. The quake struck off the east coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula at 7:25am (Taiwan time) at a depth of about 19km, the CWA said, citing figures from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. The CWA's Seismological Center said preliminary assessments indicate that a tsunami could reach Taiwan's coastal areas by 1:18pm today. The CWA urged residents along the coast to stay alert and take necessary precautions as waves as high as 1m could hit the southeastern
The National Museum of Taiwan Literature is next month to hold an exhibition in Osaka, Japan, showcasing the rich and unique history of Taiwanese folklore and literature. The exhibition, which is to run from Aug. 10 to Aug. 20 at the city’s Central Public Hall, is part of the “We Taiwan” at Expo 2025 series, highlighting Taiwan’s cultural ties with the international community, National Museum of Taiwan Literature director Chen Ying-fang (陳瑩芳) said. Folklore and literature, among Taiwan’s richest cultural heritages, naturally deserve a central place in the global dialogue, Chen said. Taiwan’s folklore would be immediately apparent at the entrance of the
ECONOMIC BENEFITS: The imports from Belize would replace those from Honduras, whose shrimp exports have dropped 67 percent since cutting ties in 2023 Maintaining ties with Taiwan has economic benefits, Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials said yesterday, citing the approval of frozen whiteleg shrimp imports from Belize by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as an example. The FDA on Wednesday approved the tariff-free imports from Belize after the whiteleg shrimp passed the Systematic Inspection of Imported Food, which would continue to boost mutual trade, the ministry said. Taiwan’s annual consumption of whiteleg shrimps stands at 30,000 tonnes, far exceeding domestic production, the ministry said. Taiwan used to fill the gap by importing shrimps from Honduras, but purchases slumped after Tegucigalpa severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan
RSS