President Tsai Ing-wen attended the departure ceremony for the first Taiwan-made weather satellite Triton on Thursday. The satellite will be shipped from the Taiwan Space Agency (TASA) to French Guiana for launch.
Premier Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) and National Science Council Chairman Wu Tsung-tsong (吳政忠) also attended to witness the important milestone.
During her speech, Tsai emphasized that the satellite is Taiwan-made from conception, through to design and production. More than 80% of the key components were developed and manufactured in Taiwan, and over 20 domestic research bodies and manufacturers participated.
The satellite also known as “Wind Hunter” will observe sea surface wind speed. The initial data generated will be a major breakthrough in global weather forecasting and early storm prediction.
Tsai says the government has made continuous investments in space industry development in recent years, including a planned 10-year investment of NT$25.1 billion (812 million USD).
Tsai added that after nearly 10 years of painstaking efforts and countless tests, the satellite has finally entered the critical stage of launch and proves that Taiwan is absolutely capable of entering the global space industry. She also thanked everyone involved in its production for not giving up despite multiple challenges.
