Ex-NASA official, Japan astronaut to feature at Taiwan space meeting

Taipei, Aug. 28 (CNA) The Taiwan Space Agency (TASA) is set to hold an international space science meeting in Kaohsiung in late November, featuring a former NASA official and a Japanese astronaut, the agency said Wednesday.

The Taiwan International Assembly of Space Science, Technology, and Industry (TASTI), set to kick off on Nov. 30 at the Kaohsiung Exhibition Center, will feature events such as academic paper presentations, a CubeSat (small satellite) contest, seminars and forums covering topics like satellite communications and lunar exploration, according to a TASA news statement.

Simon Worden, former director at the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Ames Research Center, and Koichi Wakata, a Japanese astronaut and the first Japanese commander of the International Space Station, will be keynote speakers during the five-day assembly, the TASA said.

The assembly is expected to draw around 2,000 participants, including experts from Taiwanese and international space development-related institutions and enterprises, the TASA added.

As part of the assembly, an industry expo, "TASTI 2024 EXPO," will feature 35 exhibitors across 53 booths, with TASA showcasing exhibits like a demonstration model of the FORMOSAT-8 project, a series of high-resolution optical remote sensing satellites set to be launched from 2025, according to the agency.

With online registration for the assembly's events opening on Wednesday, the TASA said that Dec. 1 will be designated as the "Public Day," offering free admission to the expo booths to further engage the public in Taiwan's space industry.