National Launch Site

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The National Launch Site is a spaceport planned by the Taiwan Space Agency. It will be located in Pingtung County and is expected to be completed in the 2030s. The spaceport is planned to incorporate tourist attractions as well as a rocket launch site. [1]

Contents

History

The National Launch Site is part of an Executive Yuan plan to develop Taiwan's satellite industries. The Taiwan Space Agency says the site will "promote the development of space technologies and industries" and train "space talents." [2] The Taiwanese government views direct access to space as essential to preserving Taiwan's sovereignty. [3]

Taiwan's government announced regulations for the site in 2022. [1] Selection was tightened and promised by the end of 2024. [4] In 2025 TASA announced its selection of Manzhou township (滿州) in Pingtung country as the National Launch Site's location. [5] The decision came down to Manzhou and Dajen township in Taitung County. [6] Within Manzhou township the site would be located in Jiupeng village. [7]

Hsu-hai Rocket Research Launch Site

Tamkang University launched the Tamkang I from the Hsu-hai launch site in 2023. [8]

A new sounding rocket launch complex was inaugurated at Hsu-hai in 2025 as part of the National Launch Site project. For facilities it primarily uses a series of converted military test bunkers. [9] The site is also known as the Hsu-Hai Rocket Research Launch Site and had completed ten sounding rocket launched by October 2025. [10] It is primarily intended to support educational and scientific launches. [11]

National Cheng Kung University's AfterLight 1 was launched on November 22, it was the 11th launch from the facility since its inauguration. [12] Tamkang University's Tamkang II (the University's fourth rocket) was launched on November 23 with an avionics development payload. [13] [14]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Thomson, Jono (March 26, 2025). "Pingtung selected for Taiwan's national spaceport". Taiwan News.
  2. ↑ "TASA | National Launch Site". www.tasa.org.tw. Retrieved 2025-03-26.
  3. ↑ CHAU, THOMPSON. "Taiwan eyes first rocket launch site and Amazon satellite collaboration". asia.nikkei.com. Nikkei Asia Review. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
  4. ↑ Strong, Matthew. "Taiwan to pick rocket launch site by end of 2024". taiwannews.com.tw. Taiwan News. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
  5. ↑ Yun-jung, Tsai; Yeh, Esme. "US eyes Taiwan space partnership". taipeitimes.com. Taipei Times. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
  6. ↑ "NSTC announces Pingtung site as Taiwan's space mission launch center". taipeitimes.com. Taipei Times. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
  7. ↑ Chuang, Bryan; Wang, Kevin. "Taiwan finalizes selection for national rocket launch site". digitimes.com. Digitimes. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
  8. ↑ Strong, Matthew. "Taiwan's Tamkang University prepares to launch rocket". taiwannews.com.tw. Taiwan News. Retrieved 23 November 2025.
  9. ↑ Tsung-hsien, Tsai; Hetherington, William. "Rocket research site inaugurated". taipeitimes.com. Taipei Times. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
  10. ↑ Tseng, Joy; Lo, James. "Taiwan's NYCU carries out 2nd successful domestic rocket launch". focustaiwan.tw. Focus Taiwan. Retrieved 24 October 2025.
  11. ↑ Tsung-hsien, Tsai; Chung, Jake. "Students aiming high at rocket launch area". taipeitimes.com. Taipei Times. Retrieved 22 November 2025.
  12. ↑ Strong, Matthew. "Taiwan's National Cheng Kung University launches research rocket". taiwannews.com.tw. Taiwan News. Retrieved 22 November 2025.
  13. ↑ Po-hsuan, Wu; Kuo-chia, Lo; Yen-ting, Chen; Shan, Shelley. "Tamkang students launch rocket 7km". taipeitimes.com. Taipei Times. Retrieved 23 November 2025.
  14. ↑ Tzu-yu, Pan; Kuan-hsien, Wu. "Tamkang University successfully launches 4th research rocket". focustaiwan.tw. Focus Taiwan. Retrieved 23 November 2025.
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