SpaceX rocket carries 2 Taiwan-developed satellites into space

Taipei, Aug. 17 (CNA) A Falcon 9 rocket launched by the U.S.-based SpaceX in the Transporter-11 mission successfully sent two Taiwan-developed satellites among more than 100 others into the Earth orbit early Saturday morning Taipei time, according to the Taiwan Space Agency (TASA).

TASA, which is part of the National Science and Technology Council, said the two Taiwan-made "cube satellites" or CubeSats -- Toro and Nightjar -- were lifted off to the space at around 2:56 a.m. Saturday from Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California along with other 114 satellites.

TASA said Toro and Nightjar entered the Earth orbit at around 5:30 a.m.

"CubeSats" refer to miniaturized satellites made up of multiple cubic modules measuring 10 cubic centimeters and weighing 1.3 kilograms that can have a wide range of applications and are increasingly relevant to the aerospace industry.

Compared with traditional satellites, the CubeSats business has a relatively low entry threshold in terms of costs and technologies. Due to the smaller size and lighter weights of a CubeSat, a rocket is able to carry several or tens of CubeSats at once upon the launch, which provides a good option for the private sector to enter the aerospace industry.

According to TASA, the payload of CubeSat Toro, developed by Taiwan's satellite communications product supplier Pyras Technology Inc., is ocean color cameras, which will select four hot spots in the equatorial region to shoot photos for an analysis of ocean color changes to complete fishing ground positioning.

With the presence of CubeSat Toro, TASA said Taiwan's aerospace technologies are expected to well serve the country's fishing industry, which is well known for its pelagic fishing, through positioning technologies, marine communications and fleet management as Pyras Technology has made lots of efforts in conducting field surveys in oceans in a bid to meet needs in the market.

CubeSat Toro is expected to help the fishing industry explore resources in the ocean, TASA said.

The government agency said Pyras Technology has teamed up with TASA since the 1990s in satellite development, including the development of Earth observation satellite Formosat-1, which had conducted observations of the ionosphere and oceans following a liftoff in 1999.

In addition, Pyras Technology has also worked with overseas space and military organizations to develop satellite components, TASA said.

CubeSat Nightjar, developed by Taiwan's antenna designer and radio frequency testing manufacturer Rapidtek Technologies Inc., has a payload of Ku-band high speed Internet of Things communications services, with a mission to test communication links between operating satellites and fixed user terminals or high speed moving user terminals on the ground, TASA said.

If the two CubeSats are able to work well in the space and get certified, the two companies will open the door for Taiwan's industry to develop satellite engineering and compete in the commercial aerospace industry, TASA said.

TASA has kicked off a 10-year satellite innovation program since 2022 with the development of CubeSats in focus. The program has four phases with Pyras Technology and Rapidtek Technologies as part of the second phase of three years starting from 2023 after the first phase of one year in preparation. The third phase of three years and the fourth of three years will follow.

According to TASA, Taiwan firms largely participated in satellite component development in the past, but the 10-year program requires participants to complete the entire satellite mission starting from system design to manufacturing, integration, testing and launching, which has posed a big challenge to participants.

TASA said CubeSats Toro and Nightjar both were built in a "3U" structure -- 30cm in length, 10 cm in width and 10 cm in height.

In the future, the two companies and another participant Tron Future Tech Inc., which provides active electronically scanned array (AESA) technologies for communications equipment, will develop larger CubeSats in an "8U" structure -- 40 cm in length, 20 cm in width and 20 cm in height -- under the 10-year program.

TASA said the launch of the first 8U CubeSats are scheduled for 2025.