Wu Zongxin, director of the National Space Center known as "Rocket Arbo", revealed that the Siraya rocket project is expected to start next year, and the fastest 2026 is to send a rocket made in China, launched independently, and tested independently.

(Photo by reporter Yang Yuanting)

[Reporter Yang Yuanting/Taipei Report] Taiwan will launch the national-level "Silaya Rocket Project" next year. If the funding is supported by the Legislative Yuan, it will send a full-scale homemade, self-launched and self-tested rocket into space as soon as 2026!

Wu Zongxin, director of the National Space Center, revealed today (30th) that the space center will launch the "Silaja Rocket Project" next year to build a complete MIT rocket and launch it into space at the national launch site that is being addressed. It is the first time that Taiwan has achieved a milestone of self-made rockets, self-launched and self-tested space components.

Wu Zongxin, known as "Rocket Arbo", signed a memorandum of cooperation today on behalf of the National Space Center and National Taiwan University Cancer Doctor. In his speech, he briefly mentioned that the Space Center will be reorganized into an administrative legal entity next year and will be renamed "TASA (Taiwan Space Agency)" , and will launch the "Silaya Rocket Project" next year.

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Plans to start sending test components to space next year

In an interview after the meeting, Wu Zongxin said that the "Silaya Rocket Project" uses rockets to send space components that need to be tested into space for testing. All the components, materials, and manufacturing processes of the rocket are built by Taiwan itself, and will also be launched in Taiwan. All required space components can be launched and tested through the rocket. If the funds are in place, it is expected that the Siraya rocket will take off as soon as 2026.

According to the "Space Development Law", the space center must be responsible for the construction of a national launch site. Wu Zongxin said that the Xuhai rocket launch site in Pingtung is currently small and suitable for small and short-term rocket launch plans. It is a large national launch site, and the site may be in Pingtung or Taitung.

How the site selection committee should be formed and the site selection criteria have also been formulated, including nearly 10 factors that must be considered, including traffic, size, and whether there are residents within 1 or 2 kilometers of the site. The site will be selected through the committee using scientific data methods. .

Wu Zongxin further pointed out that all the Siraya rocket projects were completed and launched in Taiwan, and "no foreign countries will come to assist." The annual launch was successful, with a total cost of about NT$45.2 billion. He estimated that the overall cost of Taiwan's Siraya rocket program should be less than that of South Korea, and the overall cost of the rocket program should be less than that of South Korea; this program is expected to complement Taiwan's satellite industry. The last piece of the "launch service" puzzle in "launch service", "satellite manufacturing", "ground equipment", and "back-end applications".

As for why the project was named "Silaya", Wu Zongxin said that Siraya is the clan name of the Pingpu people in Taiwan. In the past, the main activity area was in the Jianan Plain, and some people sent Taiwan's Mother Earth into space. meaning.