Taiwan’s FormoSat-5, an ultra-high-resolution Earth observation satellite operated by the Hsinchu City-headquartered National Space Organization, is scheduled for launch in February 2016, according to the NSPO.
With over 70 percent of the satellite having been developed domestically, FormoSat-5 contains a locally made optical remote sensing payload, a Cassegrain telescope-type remote sensing instrument and the world’s first complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor linear image sensor.
NSPO Director-General Chang Guey-shin said on 15 October that the satellite has passed space environment and function tests and is set to take over duties from FormoSat-2, which has been in orbit since 2004.
“The system will operate in a sun-synchronous orbit 720 kilometres above the Earth for observation missions,” he said. “Due to its optimal orbit, the satellite boasts the capability of revisiting the same point every other day as well as capturing 2-metre resolution panchromatic images above Taiwan.”
