Focus Taiwan
Date: 2017/08/25
By: S.C. Chang
Taipei, Aug. 25 (CNA) Eighty-two minutes and 56 seconds after lift-off from the
Science Minister Chen (left, arms up) is elated by FormoSat-5’s successful contact with ground station.
Vandenberg Air Force Base in California Friday, the first Taiwan-made satellite FormoSat-5 started communications with planet earth, according to the Hsinchu-based National Space Organization (NSPO).
In a statement, NSPO said that at 4:13 a.m. Taiwan time, its ground antenna in Svalbard, Norway received signals from FormoSat-5, which was launched into the 720-km orbit by SpaceX Falcon-9 rocket 11 minutes 19 seconds after liftoff at 2:50 a.m.
“The success of the first contact marks a milestone of FormoSat-5,” said the statement. It noted that its first contact to Taiwan station is expected by 9:44 a.m.
Science and Technology Minister Chen Liang-gee (陳良基）and NARLabs President Wang Yeong-her (王永和）were elated by the successful first contact with the Norway station. [FULL STORY]
