Taiwan wants to create its own satellite system and is looking for investors
Taiwan authorities want to ensure social sustainability in the country with the help of a satellite system
Taiwan is seeking investors to establish its own satellite communications provider, modelled after Elon Musk’s Starlink, as it works to strengthen its defences against potential aggression from China.
The country’s space agency, TASA, plans to spin off the project from an existing satellite division and is in early discussions with various investors to secure funding. A senior official at TASA said they are going to spin their low-Earth orbit satellite communications project off into a company. It is reported that the government intends to retain a significant minority stake in the venture.
The proposed satellite communications provider is a part of Taiwan’s wider initiative to construct communication infrastructure that can withstand an attack from China. Beijing regards Taiwan as its territory and has increasingly threatened the use of force to bring the island under its control.
Taiwan’s digital minister, Audrey Tang, says that the project is primarily focused on enhancing societal resilience and ensuring that journalists can transmit videos to international audiences even during a disaster.
Additionally, the system would support telephone and video conferencing, as demonstrated by the successful use of Starlink, a mobile internet satellite constellation operated by SpaceX.
