Farewell ceremony held for Taiwan-made Triton weather satellite
Farewell ceremony held for Taiwan-made Triton weather satellite
2023-07-14
President Tsai Ing-wen joined scientists from the Taiwan Space Agency and other officials Friday to send off the Triton satellite. The object is touted as Taiwan’s first self-made meteorological satellite, with 82% of its development and manufacturing done by local companies and organizations. The satellite will soon be shipped to French Guiana, where it is scheduled to be launched in September, a milestone in Taiwan’s space industry.
President Tsai Ing-wen signs her name on a canvas bag covering what is touted as Taiwan’s first self-made meteorological satellite, Triton. After the signing, officials stand in line to pose with it in farewell, as it will soon be shipped to French Guiana for its launch in September.
Tsai Ing-wen
President
The Triton satellite is like a messenger for the Taiwan Strait. It shows Taiwan’s determination to develop its space industry and be part of the Space Age. It also shows that Taiwanese manufacturing can stand up for itself in the world and up in space.
Taiwan Space Agency
Triton was originally going to be part of the second batch of seven self-made satellites in the FormoSat-7 program. Although the changes came with some twists, we progressed over the past eight years until now. Today, it’s as if we were sending our child abroad. Although we can’t bear parting with it, we are full of hope and joy.
After eight years working on Triton, the team behind the satellite says the farewell feels bittersweet. Triton is being touted as Taiwan’s first self-made meteorological satellite to be launched since the Formosat-7 constellation. It weighs 250 kilograms, and has a volume of more than 1 cubic meter. It uses a GNSS reflectrometry system and will enter orbit at an altitude between 550 and 650 kilometers above the Earth. It’s designed to collect data on sea surface winds to better forecast typhoon paths, heavy rains and air pollution.
Wu Cheng-chung
National Science and Technology Council
The global space industry has only really taken off in the past four years. Taiwan is absolutely not lagging behind. Taiwan passed the Space Development Act and it upgraded the Taiwan Space Agency. It’s thanks to that that today we can launch the Triton satellite.
About 82% of the components in the Triton were made in Taiwan, opening up new possibilities for Taiwan’s space industry. By lending assistance to developers, the government hopes the industry will continue taking off, with the ground segment component industry expected to have a value of NT$300 billion in 2025.
我首枚自製氣象衛星獵風者起運 9月中南美洲升空
2023-07-14
台灣首顆自製氣象衛星"獵風者"，今(7/14)早從太空中心起運自桃園機場，準備送往中南美洲的發射場，最快九月發射，包含總統蔡英文、行政院長陳建仁等人，都來見證，台灣太空產業，歷史性的一刻，太空中心團隊更感性說到，就像要把小孩送出國，非常不捨。
總統蔡英文在帆布包裹著的衛星箱上，簽下大名，裏頭裝的就是，台灣第一枚自製氣象衛星"獵風者"。簽完名後，一級官員排排站，歡送獵風者，因為它將代表台灣，前往中南美洲的"法屬圭亞那"發射場，預計9月搭上火箭升空。
[[總統 蔡英文]]
“獵風者衛星是代表台灣海的信使，也承載台灣發展太空產業，參與太空時代的決心，更代表了台灣製造，不僅能站上國際，也飛向太空”
[[國家太空中心主任 吳宗信]]
“獵風者衛星，原來是福衛七號，第二組的七顆自製衛星的其中的一顆，這個變更的過程雖然有一點曲折，我們走過八年總算走到今天了，今天我們就像要把這個孩子送去外地，心裡雖然不捨，但是我們心裡其實有很多的期待和開心”
歷經8年設計到審查，獵風者的搖籃"國家太空中心"團隊，充滿不捨。事實上，獵風者衛星，是繼台灣第一顆衛星"福衛七號"後，另一顆完全自製的氣象衛星，重達250公斤，體積超過1立方公尺，酬載GNSS-R系統，未來將在高度550到650公里的衛星軌道上運行，接收海面反射訊號後，計算風場資料，未來可做為颱風、強降雨、空污預測參考。
[[國科會主委 吳政忠]]
“全世界太空的產業，也最近這四年才在起步，台灣完全是沒有落後，太空發展法(通過)，再來跟著就是太空中心升格，才有今天我們獵風者要來起運”
獵風者高達82%的自製率，把不可能的任務變成可能，加上政府挹注，要帶動相關產業蓬勃發展，力拚太空地面設備產值，2025年衝上3千億。
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