National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) yesterday unveiled two science payloads to be installed on a remote-sensing satellite of the Formosat-8 constellation, which is scheduled to be launched in 2023 by US firm SpaceX.
The payloads, a dual-band imager of atmospheric transient and electron temperature and density probe, have been part of an engineering model showcased in an exhibition marking the university’s 90th founding anniversary, highlighting its space technology development.
The instruments were developed by the university’s departments of physics, Earth sciences, aeronautics and astronautics, as well as Aerospace Industrial Development Corp and other local firms, a NCKU news release quoted Chen Bing-chih (陳炳志), a professor in its physics department, as saying.
Photo courtesy of National Cheng Kung University
The instruments would aid research on lightning and the ionosphere, Chen said.
The Formosat-8 project is a planned constellation of six high-resolution optical remote sensing satellites, each with a 1m resolution, the National Space Organization said on its Web site.
The first satellite, FS-8A, would carry NCKU’s payloads, and the second satellite, FS-8B, would carry a gamma-ray transients monitor developed by National Tsing Hua University, the agency said.
The launches would be in 2023 and 2024, it said.
Agency spokeswoman Vicky Chu (朱崇惠) separately told the Taipei Times that SpaceX would be responsible for launching the first two Formosat-8 satellites.
Taiwan’s space technology research has received global acclaim, demonstrating the nation’s ability to make inroads into the global space industry, said Vice President William Lai (賴清德), an alumnus of the Tainan-based university and a former Tainan mayor.
A renewed race to the moon involving many nations would ensue in the next decade, and Taiwan should not lag behind, Lai said, adding that he is glad to see his alma mater’s achievements in space technology.
In addition to the payloads, NCKU was the nation’s first university to launch a sounding rocket to an altitude of 4km, he said.
Lai also presented a posthumous presidential citation to former NCKU president Hsia Han-min (夏漢民), who also headed the National Science Council, to mark his contributions to the Tainan-based university and the space agency. The citation was received by Hsia’s widow, Wang Shou-mei (王壽美).
Aftershocks from a magnitude 6.2 earthquake that struck off Yilan County at 3:45pm yesterday could reach a magnitude of 5 to 5.5, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Seismological Center technical officer Chiu Chun-ta (邱俊達) told a news conference that the epicenter of the temblor was more than 100km from Taiwan. Although predicted to measure between magnitude 5 and 5.5, the aftershocks would reach an intensity of 1 on Taiwan’s 7-tier scale, which gauges the actual effect of an earthquake, he said. The earthquake lasted longer in Taipei because the city is in a basin, he said. The quake’s epicenter was about 128.9km east-southeast
The Taipei Summer Festival is to begin tomorrow at Dadaocheng Wharf (大稻埕), featuring four themed firework shows and five live music performances throughout the month, the Taipei Department of Information and Tourism said today. The festival in the city’s Datong District (大同) is to run until Aug. 30, holding firework displays on Wednesdays and the final Saturday of the event. The first show is scheduled for tomorrow, followed by Aug. 13, 20 and 30. To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Disney Pixar's movie Toy Story, the festival has partnered with Walt Disney Co (Taiwan) to host a special themed area on
BE CAREFUL: The virus rarely causes severe illness or death, but newborns, older people and those with medical conditions are at risk of more severe illness As more than 7,000 cases of chikungunya fever have been reported in China’s Guangdong Province this year, including 2,892 new cases last week, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) yesterday said it is monitoring the situation and considering raising the travel notice level, which might be announced today. The CDC issued a level 1 travel notice, or “watch,” for Guangdong Province on July 22, citing an outbreak in Foshan, a manufacturing hub in the south of the province, that was reported early last month. Between July 27 and Saturday, the province reported 2,892 new cases of chikungunya, reaching a total of 7,716
The New Taipei City Government today warned about the often-overlooked dangers of playing in water, and recommended safe swimming destinations to cool off from the summer heat. The following locations in the city as safe and fun for those looking to enjoy the water: Chienshuiwan (淺水灣), Baishawan (白沙灣), Jhongjiao Bay (中角灣), Fulong Beach Resort (福隆海水浴場) and Sansia District’s (三峽) Dabao River (大豹溪), New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Department Director-General Yang Tsung-min (楊宗珉) said. Outdoor bodies of water have variables outside of human control, such as changing currents, differing elevations and environmental hazards, all of which can lead to accidents, Yang said. Sudden
RSS