The indigenously developed Formosat satellites are milestones in Taiwan’s space technology development and represent the effectiveness of government policies in promoting the science and technology sectors, according to Vice President Chen Chien-jen Oct. 22.
Since Taiwan implemented its first satellite project in 1999, tremendous progress has been made in raising related domestic production standards to the requisite levels, Chen said. The successful operation of science-focused Formosat-1 from 1999 to 2004 propelled Taiwan into the ranks of elite nations boasting indigenous system development capabilities, he added.
Chen made the remarks while opening an exhibition on Taiwan’s space technology development at the Office of the President in Taipei City. Running through Feb. 25, 2019, the event features images generated by Formosat satellites, interactive activities, replicas of the spacecraft and video clips.
According to Chen, the country’s first remote sensing satellite Formosat-2 ably picked up where its predecessor left off and was retired in 2016 after an illustrious 12-year career. Its replacement Formosat-5, which commenced commercial operations last month, represents a new chapter for Taiwan as it is the first homegrown ultra-high resolution Earth observation satellite, he said.
Not to be overlooked, Chen said, is Formosat-3. It represents the fruits of a 12-year partnership with the U.S. and has made vital contributions to weather forecasting, as well as climate, gravity and ionosphere research, via its six-remote sensing microsatellites, he added.
Looking ahead, the under-development Formosat-7 is set to take the technological accomplishments of Formosat-3 to a new level by providing more timely and higher-resolution imagery in critical areas like climate change, Chen said, adding that this information will help researchers create predictive models for extreme weather and save lives and property in the process. (SFC-E)
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