Formosat-5

Formosat-5 primary goal is to demonstrate Taiwan's satellite manufacturing capabilities and produce data for various academic research. The satellite is 2.8 m tall, 1.6 m wide octagonal prism body, and weighs about 450 kg. Formosat-5 contains the Optical Telemetry Payload ({{zh|c=|t=光學遙測酬載}}) capturing color and monochrome images, and the Advanced Ionospheric Sounder ({{zh|c=|t=先進電離層探測儀}}) measuring the ionosphere.{{Cite web|title=福爾摩沙衛星五號 - 國家太空中心|url=https://www.nspo.narl.org.tw/inprogress.php?c=20021501|access-date=2021-10-20|website=www.nspo.narl.org.tw|language=zh-tw|archive-date=25 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200925193802/https://www.nspo.narl.org.tw/inprogress.php?c=20021501|url-status=live}}

The Optical Telemetry Payload is the primary instrument aboard the spacecraft, composed of a telescope and an electrical unit. The telescope uses a CMOS chip designed to see four light wavelengths: blue, green, red, and near infrared. The chip also has a dedicated monochrome sensor with 12-bit color depth. The Optical Telemetry Payload has a 10GB storage device, which can store panoramas that take 8 minutes to capture. Formosat-5 can capture images with a 2-meter resolution in black and white and 4 meters in color.{{cite news|last=Lin|first=Chia-nan|date=24 February 2018|title=Taiwanese satellite nails image clarity|work=Taipei Times|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2018/02/24/2003688147|access-date=26 February 2018|archive-date=27 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180227035221/http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2018/02/24/2003688147|url-status=live}}

Formosat-5 also contains a scientific payload, called Advanced Ionospheric Probe, that studies plasma physics and properties in the ionosphere.{{Cite web |url=http://www.nspo.narl.org.tw/en2016/projects/FORMOSAT-5/payloads.html |title=Space Programs: FORMOSAT-5: Payloads |publisher=National Space Organization |access-date=25 August 2017 |archive-date=22 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170822055457/http://www.nspo.narl.org.tw/en2016/projects/FORMOSAT-5/payloads.html |url-status=dead }} This instrument can measure plasma composition, density, temperature, and flow rate. The Advanced Ionospheric Probe is expected to be sensitive enough to capture anomalies of the ionosphere before earthquakes.

Other components of Formosat-5 include a power control and distribution unit, heaters, batteries, and foldable solar panels. The power control and distribution unit can output a voltage of 5.2V with a maximum wattage of 50W. Formosat-5's MIPS computer can process 20 million instructions per second, with high-speed data channels.

File:FORMOSAT-5 in orbit (artist concept).png

Formosat-5 is the National Space Organization's first indigenously developed observation satellite, directed by Chang Ho-pen ({{lang-zh|c=張和本|labels=no}}).{{Cite web|title=Space Programs: FORMOSAT-5: Program Description|url=http://www.nspo.narl.org.tw/en2016/projects/FORMOSAT-5/program-description.html|access-date=25 August 2017|publisher=National Space Organization}}{{Cite web|title=FormoSat-5|url=https://directory.eoportal.org/web/eoportal/satellite-missions/f/formosat-5|access-date=21 January 2017|work=eoPortal|publisher=European Space Agency|archive-date=1 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210401022216/https://directory.eoportal.org/web/eoportal/satellite-missions/f/formosat-5|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|title=FORMOSAT 5|url=http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/formosat-5.htm|access-date=21 January 2017|work=Gunter's Space Page|archive-date=2 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170102104102/http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/formosat-5.htm|url-status=live}}

The satellite was flown from Taiwan to Los Angeles International Airport in the United States on 19 July 2017 via a China Airlines transport aircraft, and arrived at Vandenberg Air Force Base on 26 July.{{cite news|last1=Tsao|first1=Yu-fan|last2=Kao|first2=Evelyn|last3=Chen|first3=Christie|date=20 July 2017|title=Taiwan's Formosat-5 satellite arrives in Los Angeles|work=Focus Taiwan|url=http://focustaiwan.tw/news/ast/201707200012.aspx|access-date=25 August 2017|archive-date=24 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170824154225/http://focustaiwan.tw/news/ast/201707200012.aspx|url-status=live}}{{cite news|last=Goh|first=Deyana|date=27 July 2017|title=Taiwan's indigenous FORMOSAT-5 arrives at Vandenberg to prepare for SpaceX launch|work=SpaceTech Asia|url=http://www.spacetechasia.com/taiwans-indigenous-formosat-5-arrives-at-vandenberg-to-prepare-for-spacex-launch/|access-date=25 August 2017|archive-date=25 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170825225924/http://www.spacetechasia.com/taiwans-indigenous-formosat-5-arrives-at-vandenberg-to-prepare-for-spacex-launch/|url-status=live}} Launch took place on 24 August 2017 at 18:51 UTC from Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 4 aboard a Falcon 9 rocket.

In September 2017, Formosat-5 transmitted its first images, which were blurry. A subsequent rescue mission fixed the satellite; however, it is limited to capturing images during good weather.

• Formosat-8

{{Reflist |30em}}

• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4u3ZN2g_MI Launch webcast]

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{{Falcon rocket launches}}

{{Orbital launches in 2017}}

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Category:2017 in Taiwan

Category:Earth observation satellites of Taiwan

Category:Spacecraft launched in 2017

Category:SpaceX commercial payloads