Premier Su Tseng-chang says the recent successful launch of a domestically produced rocket is a milestone in the development of Taiwan’s space industry. That came after the science and technology ministry gave a report on the launch on Thursday.
On Sunday, Taiwan’s Advanced Rocket Research Center successfully launched its HTTP-3A sounding rocket from a site at Syuhai in Pingtung County. This type of test vehicle is designed for suborbital flight into the Earth’s upper atmosphere. Future iterations of the system will be able to carry satellites into orbit.
The Advanced Rocket Research Center is an autonomous research organization established in 2012 at the National Chiao Tung University. It works with other universities, government institutions and private enterprises.
The rocket launched on Sunday was equipped with a hybrid propulsion system, meaning it uses both solid and liquid fuels. It also had a guidance system as well as thrust and vector controls, which allowed it to control its own trajectory.
Premier Su says the space industry is one of Taiwan’s six strategic core industries. He says Taiwan not only has the capacity to produce its own rockets, but is also a leader in semiconductor, communication, and machine technologies. These can help develop Taiwan’s space industry even further.