Taiwan Space Agency enters 2nd phase of CubeSat development program

Taipei, Aug. 10 (CNA) The Taiwan Space Agency (TASA) has 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."

In a press release Wednesday, TASA said 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.

According to the agency, the first stage of the second phase will see the production and launch of 12 CubeSats each for remote sensing, communications and the Internet of Things (IoT).

The agency said it began accepting bids to build the three 6U satellite types on Aug. 3, adding that each winning proposal would receive NT$145 million (US$4.56 million).

Given the simple construction and low cost of lightweight CubeSats, TASA said it would be a suitable undertaking for space start-ups, particularly for low-volume manufacturers.

The first stage will also include the development of ground segments and relevant satellite applications, TASA added.

TASA said the project aimed 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.

TASA added that it had already completed the one-year preliminary phase of the project, which began in 2022 and involved the development of two 3U CubeSats to test the feasibility of building and launching satellites in Taiwan.