Taiwan to launch locally made satellites in 2026

Taipei [Taiwan], March 17 (ANI): Taiwanese Science and Technology Minister Wu Tsung-tsong said on Thursday that they could launch locally made satellites from its own territory in 2026.
While responding in legislative House, Tsung-tsong said that he hoped the construction of satellite's base could start in 2024 in the east or southeast area of Taiwan and by 2025, the entire work would be completed, Taiwan News reported citing CNA.
He further stated that they are scheduled to launch their first satellite in 2026.
The Ministry Of Science and Technology (MOST) manages the launch centre for small rockets in the Pingtung county village of Hsuhai near the southeast coast and the major satellites are launched overseas, mostly in the US.
The Ministry is currently looking for different sites like eastern or southeastern areas closer to the equator.
Taiwanese space organisation, National Space Organization (NSPO), has termed 2026 as the year when the country would be able to launch its locally made satellites from its own territory.
A Chinese Y-8 ELINT spotter plane had entered the southwest of Taiwan's air defence identification zone (ADIZ) on Wednesday. But the Taiwanese military, which is prepared for such activities, had said that it had deployed air defence missile systems to monitor the activities of china's People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) with electronic intelligence aircraft.
The highest number of PLAAF aircraft intruding into Taiwan's ADIZ on a single day so far this year was recorded on January 23, when 39 Chinese planes were spotted. (ANI)