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Friday 15 August 2025
UMT’s bet on LEO satellites pays off as the segment surpasses 50% of revenue

Despite foreign exchange headwinds and delayed shipments in the second quarter, Universal Microwave Technology (UMT) is doubling down on the fast-growing low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite market. President Dr. Tungyi Wu said the company's LEO revenue grew 40% year-over-year in the first half of 2025, for the first time accounting for more than half of total sales.

Thursday 14 August 2025
TASA expands domestic satellite manufacturing with industry-led development platform
As Taiwan accelerates efforts to localize satellite manufacturing, the Taiwan Space Agency (TASA) recently held a briefing on its new communications satellite manufacturing industrialization platform—an initiative aimed at cultivating domestic capabilities for low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite production and systems integration.
Tuesday 12 August 2025
First Formosat-8 satellite passes pre-shipment review, set to launch from the US
The Taiwan Space Agency (TASA) announced that the first satellite in its self-developed Formosat-8 optical remote sensing satellite constellation project, the Formosat-8A (FS-8A), successfully passed the pre-shipment review (PSR) on August 6. This clearance allows the satellite to be transported to the launch site, where it will be launched aboard SpaceX's Transporter-15 mission.
Monday 11 August 2025
Taiwan's satellite procurement plan to build four communications satellites
Taiwan Space Agency (TASA) has officially announced a large-scale procurement project to industrialize the manufacturing of communications satellites, marking a major step toward developing the island's domestic space capabilities. The procurement project, focused on a communications satellite manufacturing industrialization platform (Project No. TASA-P-1140196), will require winning contractors to design, build, test, launch, and operate a total of four low-Earth orbit (LEO) communications satellites.
Sunday 10 August 2025
Satellite insurance raises cost for Taiwan's satellite push
Taiwan Space Agency (TASA) is taking a bold step toward industrializing its satellite manufacturing sector, announcing a NT$24.9 billion (US$833 million) initiative to develop a commercial communications satellite platform in partnership with the private sector. The plan calls for the development of two satellite systems — four satellites in total — and aims to position Taiwan as a player in the growing global space economy.
Friday 8 August 2025
UMT sees July revenue slump but expects recovery as satellite shipments resume
Universal Microwave Technology (UMT), a Taiwanese manufacturer of high-frequency communication components, reported a significant year-over-year decline in revenue for July 2025, but the company maintains that underlying business momentum remains stable as structural and seasonal factors ease.
Tuesday 5 August 2025
Japan unveils next-gen defense plan centered on space and hypersonic threats

In response to rapid advancements in military technology and an increasingly uncertain global security environment, Japan's Ministry of Defense released two key documents on July 28, 2025: its next-generation information and communications strategy and the Space Domain Defense Guidelines. These initiatives lay out a sweeping vision for cross-branch military modernization centered on next-gen satellite communications and resilient space-based infrastructure.

Tuesday 5 August 2025
Korea bets on private sector to fuel its SpaceX dreams
In a milestone move signaling the transition of South Korea's space ambitions from government-led development to commercial enterprise, the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) has officially signed a technology transfer agreement with Hanwha Aerospace, granting the company rights to manufacture and launch the nation's first domestically developed space launch vehicle, the KSLV-II Nuri rocket.
Tuesday 5 August 2025
Taiwan's Rapidtek achieves major satellite milestone with successful "Nightjar" mission
Rapidtek, a Taiwanese company specializing in communications modules and antennas, announced a major milestone in the nation's growing space sector. The company's 3U communications CubeSat, Nightjar, developed under contract with Taiwan's National Space Organization (TASA), has successfully established two-way communications with ground stations, marking a significant advancement in technical readiness and private-sector capability.
Friday 1 August 2025
UMT posts record revenue as low-Earth orbit satellite demand soars

Riding a wave of surging demand for low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite communications, Universal Microwave Technology (UMT) posted record revenue in the first half of 2025, showcasing robust growth momentum. The company's consolidated revenue reached NT$1.13 billion (approx. US$37.7 million), marking a historic high for the period. Notably, LEO satellite products accounted for 52.7% of total revenue, underscoring the segment's emergence as the key growth driver.

Thursday 31 July 2025
Taiwan's first optical remote sensing satellite to launch alongside three homegrown CubeSats
In October 2025, Taiwan Space Agency (TASA) will launch Formosat-8A, the nation's first domestically developed optical remote sensing satellite. Three homegrown 8U CubeSats—Bellbird-1, Black Kite-1, and TORO-1—will share the ride, developed under TASA's "Startup Star Catcher" initiative to foster local space hardware capabilities.
Tuesday 29 July 2025
Taiwan's rocket dreams take flight: new facility breaks ground on space sovereignty
Taiwan marked a key milestone in its space development ambitions on July 27, 2025, with the official opening of a new rocket assembly plant and refurbished launch control center in Hsuhai Village in Pingtung County. The facility strengthens the island's space infrastructure and signals progress toward achieving independent launch capabilities.
Friday 25 July 2025
Formosat-8 set for October SpaceX launch after completing full functional testing
On July 24, 2025, Taiwan's first domestically developed optical remote sensing satellite constellation, Formosat-8 (FS-8A), completed full functionality testing following a series of rocket and space environment verifications. This indicates the satellite has passed all validation steps and is ready for launch.
Friday 25 July 2025
Starlink’s Taiwan hopes face familiar friction
Taiwan is renewing its efforts to bring Elon Musk's Starlink satellite internet service to the island, as the Executive Yuan approved a sweeping six-year NT$27 billion (approximately US$923 million) investment in next-generation communications technology last week. The plan aims to attract at least three international low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellations by 2030, and Starlink, the world's largest LEO provider, is once again in the spotlight.
Thursday 24 July 2025
Auden Techo expands to Vietnam to strengthen supply chain resilience
Taiwan-based Auden Techno Corp., a leading provider of radio frequency (RF) antenna solutions, broke ground on a new manufacturing facility in Vietnam's Hải Dương Province on July 21, 2025, underscoring the company's efforts to expand global production capacity and reinforce its international supply chain resilience.
Wednesday 23 July 2025
Houston to Hsinchu in 2.5 hours? AIT confirms talks with Taiwan on spaceport vision
The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) confirmed on social media on Monday that the US and Taiwan are in talks over a potential spaceport collaboration — a move that could one day make suborbital travel between Houston and Taiwan a reality in just 2.5 hours.
Wednesday 23 July 2025
Big moon plans, few rocket orders: South Korea's aerospace ambition faces reality check
South Korea has laid out an ambitious vision to become a major player in the new space economy, with a long-term goal of landing on the Moon using domestically developed rockets and building a permanent lunar economic base. But as Seoul sketches bold plans reaching into mid-century, the country's space industry is already confronting growing turbulence — from stalled rocket orders to a quiet exodus of specialized talent.
Monday 21 July 2025
Seoul backs RF Materials in US$76 million space-grade semiconductor initiative

As Seoul intensifies efforts to build next-generation aerospace technologies, RF Materials, a South Korean firm specializing in compound semiconductor packaging, has been named a core participant in a national R&D program aimed at advancing space-grade semiconductor technology.

Monday 14 July 2025
SoftBank to launch high-altitude 5G network using solar planes and airships by 2026
SoftBank is preparing to commercialize its next-generation telecommunications infrastructure using high-altitude platforms by 2026, marking a pivotal milestone in its UTX (Ubiquitous Transformation) initiative. The company announced that it will deploy a hybrid fleet of solar-powered aircraft and unmanned airships to operate base stations in the stratosphere, approximately 20 kilometers above the Earth's surface. This dual-platform system is expected to support emergency communications first, with plans to expand into broader commercial services by 2027.
Monday 14 July 2025
Taiwan eyes Starlink partnership in bid to bolster LEO infrastructure
After years of holding SpaceX's Starlink at arm's length over concerns about its China-linked supply chain and government control over foreign corporate operations, Taiwan is signaling a shift: officials are now welcoming the satellite internet giant to enter the local market and support the island's next-generation communications infrastructure.
Monday 14 July 2025
Taiwan looks to space for connectivity, but stays grounded by constraints

Taiwan's government-backed low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite initiative—part of its Beyond 5G (B5G) communications technology roadmap—is facing mounting challenges, with progress on planned satellite launches and communications testing now uncertain. Despite plans to deploy six experimental satellites, officials acknowledge that the program is unlikely to evolve into a commercially viable system.

Thursday 10 July 2025
Taiwan UMT sees strong satellite orders despite June revenue dip
As the global low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite industry enters a phase of rapid commercialization, demand for high-frequency communication components continues to climb. Taiwanese RF component maker Universal Microwave Technology (UMT) reported a revenue dip in June but remains cautiously optimistic about long-term growth, citing strong demand and a robust pipeline of LEO-related orders.
Wednesday 9 July 2025
Amazon's Project Kuiper targets South Korea in global satellite push

Amazon's satellite internet venture, Project Kuiper, is accelerating its expansion into Asia, with a focus on South Korea, Taiwan, and Japan — three strategically vital nations amid rising demand for resilient communications infrastructure and growing competition in low-Earth orbit (LEO) connectivity.

Tuesday 8 July 2025
TiSPACE VP01 suborbital rocket launch postponed until July 12 due to typhoon
The test launch of the VP01 suborbital rocket by private Taiwanese rocket manufacturer and launch service provider Taiwan Innovative Space (TiSPACE) scheduled for July 6, 2025, at the Hokkaido Spaceport (HOSPO) has been postponed until July 12, 2025, due to the impact of Typhoon Mun.
Friday 27 June 2025
Well Shin looks to EVs, LEO satellites, and refrigerated containers for growth in 2025
Despite ongoing uncertainties in the market, such as exchange rates and tariffs, cable manufacturer Well Shin Technology is optimistic it will be able to maintain overall growth in 2025, thanks to an increase in pull-ins from electric vehicle (EV) customers and the continued growth of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites and refrigerated containers.