The new device is expected to allow Taiwan more independence in space missions, as exports of such products are usually kept under tight controls. To date, Taiwan has relied on European countries such as France and Germany for such devices, according to Hsinchu City-based National Space Organization.
NSO Deputy Director Yu Xian-zheng said space-based GPS receivers are a critical component of a satellite as they are the only means of communication with ground control during space missions.
Traditional receivers have slow response times and take eight minutes to boot up, Yu said, adding that the Taiwan-developed receiver is the fastest in the world, taking only 90 seconds to boot up.
The Taiwan-developed device also weighs only 800 grams, much lighter than its counterparts in Europe at 2 to 3 kilograms. Its costs about NT$6 million (US$200,000) to manufacture, a price only one-third of the European ones, he added.
Yu said space-based GPS receivers can conduct various missions such as weather forecasts and climate analysis. The Taiwan-developed device will be utilized in the local FORMOSAT-7 program, with the satellite set for launch by 2018.
As Asian countries such as Japan and South Korea are developing their own space-based GPS receivers, NSO said it will continue efforts to make its device lighter, smaller and more energy-efficient, meeting market demand for smaller satellites. (DF-JSM)
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