TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan is accelerating its most ambitious space program yet, aiming to build a satellite industry and its first domestically developed orbital rocket by 2034, Nikkei Asia reported Wednesday.
Taiwan Space Agency (TASA) plans to increase satellite launches to one or two missions annually, deploy a 10-satellite constellation by 2030, and establish the country’s first rocket launch site in Pingtung by 2030. It also plans to launch a domestically developed rocket capable of carrying a 200-kilogram satellite into orbit by 2034.
To support those goals, the government has expanded its long-term space budget to NT$71 billion (US$2.2 billion) over 13 years from a previous NT$25.1 billion 10-year plan.
The push follows the launch of Formosat-8A late last year, a milestone that demonstrated Taiwan’s growing ability to design and build advanced satellites. About 84% of the satellite’s key systems, including its optics, propulsion, and onboard computing, were developed domestically.
Engineers said receiving Formosat-8A’s first image marked the culmination of nearly a decade of work after Taiwan’s first homegrown Earth observation satellite, Formosat-5, produced blurry images following its 2017 launch. The new satellite returned images with about one-meter ground resolution.
TASA Director-General Wu Jong-shinn (吳宗信) said developing a complete domestic space ecosystem requires more than building satellites. “You can’t always count on foreign support. People have no obligation to teach you everything,” he said.
Wu said Taiwan plans to launch eight Formosat-8 optical satellites and two Formosat-9 synthetic aperture radar satellites by 2030, while expanding development of CubeSats, next-generation communications satellites, and secure satellite networks. He said future Formosat satellites are expected to improve image resolution to around 30 centimeters.
Taiwan is leveraging strengths in precision manufacturing and semiconductors to develop critical satellite technologies, per Nikkei Asia. Researchers at the National Center for Instrumentation Research and manufacturer Control Optics Taiwan produced an ultra-precise primary mirror for Formosat-8A with a surface error of less than 12 nm.
Taiwanese chip designer PixArt Imaging also spent more than five years developing time delay integrator image sensors that allow satellites to capture sharp images while traveling at high speed. PixArt Imaging Chair Huang Sen-huang (黃森煌) said the technology required highly customized design, specialized materials, and rigorous radiation testing, despite the limited commercial market for space components.
Industry executives said many Taiwanese technology companies remain focused on larger markets such as AI servers and consumer electronics rather than the specialized space sector, per Nikkei Asia. Others prefer supplying components to global satellite operators instead of developing complete satellite systems or launch vehicles.
Taiwan also faces geopolitical challenges. Since it is not a member of the International Telecommunication Union, it must rely on international partners to obtain satellite spectrum rights and orbital filings. Companies developing satellites have established overseas partnerships to overcome those limitations.
Competition is also intensifying as China expands its own space industry. Chinese companies have built integrated capabilities spanning rockets, launches and satellite manufacturing, while aggressively pursuing overseas markets, particularly in Southeast Asia.
Despite those challenges, industry executives said Taiwan’s strength lies in becoming a trusted supplier of high-value space technologies rather than competing directly with major space powers. They said building a complete domestic ecosystem would strengthen Taiwan’s position within global supply chains.
Officials acknowledged that building a self-reliant space industry remains a long-term challenge that requires sustained investment and technical breakthroughs. However, they said Formosat-8A’s success demonstrates Taiwan has moved beyond simply participating in international space programs and is capable of making and operating advanced space systems.
“The key mission is to strengthen our national security,” Wu said, adding that helping companies in the value chain and building a space economy are important too.
