Triton, Taiwan’s second locally built weather satellite, could be launched as early as the first quarter of 2023, Minister of Science and Technology Wu Tsung-tsong (???) said Wednesday.
“Over the past 30 years, Taiwan has carried out relevant scientific research and has strengthened its space technology and nourished a pool of talent,” Wu said told a news conference held to explain the task commissioned to Triton, which was preceded by FormoSat-5.
He added that the country has in recent years “begun exploring business opportunities in the field.”
The budget allocated to the National Space Organization (NSPO) is expected to top NT$5 billion (US$167 million) next year, an NT$1 billion increase compared to this year, according to Wu.
Lin Chen-tsung (???), an NSPO expert who is in charge of the Triton project, said 82 percent of the weather satellite’s parts and components were locally designed and manufactured, with the process involving over 20 Taiwanese companies and scientists.
After being fully equipped, Triton — also known as “Wind Hunter” (???) in Chinese — will undergo testing before being carried and launched by a Vega-C rocket developed by France’s Arianespace SA at the Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana.
National Central University Professor Yang Shu-Chih (???), a researcher studying how to improve severe weather forecasts, said that the data Triton has been designed to retrieve regarding sea surface wind speed could be used to improve weather and climate forecasts.
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel