TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The first satellite of Taiwan’s FORMOSAT-8 array arrived in the US and is being prepared for a mid-November launch date, Taiwan Space Agency (TASA) has announced.

The first satellite of eight, named after famous Taiwanese filmmaker Chi Po-lin (齊柏林), was shipped from Taiwan in October and will be launched from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base. Once fully operational, the domestically produced FORMOSAT-8 satellite array will provide Taiwan with remote viewing capability, reported CNA. 

Improving on the predecessor FORMOSAT-5 system, TASA worked to improve the image resolution capabilities and durability of the satellites’ design. The Chi Po-lin is one of two satellites with ultra-high-resolution optical telemetry systems capable of rendering images of nearly 0.7 meters, a major improvement over the two-meter resolution capability of FORMOSAT-5. 

According to reports, the Chi Po-lin satellite will be carried into orbit on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and deployed 561 km above the Earth’s surface in a sun-synchronous orbit. The satellite will provide exceptional images from space, honoring the spirit of filmmaker Chi Po-lin, who was celebrated for his breathtaking aerial photography of Taiwan's landscape. 

The rest of the FORMOSAT-8 satellites are expected to be deployed and operational by 2031. The satellite array will have multiple applications across areas of traffic control, disaster relief, weather and agriculture, as well as national security. 

President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) previously said that FORMOSAT-8 represents a new era in Taiwanese technology and exploration. With over 20 institutions from industry, government, and academia cooperating, the satellite launch will be a major milestone for Taiwan’s national resilience and the “Made in Taiwan” industrial supply chain.