Taipei, Oct. 2 (CNA) Taiwan's launch of the ROCSAT-2, the island's second satellite for scientific research, was again delayed due to interference from Beijing, sources from the National Science Council (NSC) said on Saturday.
The project is doomed to be delayed because the contracted German builder of the ROCSAT-2 -- Dornier Satellite System GmbH -- can not obtain an export permit from the German government, according to NSC officials.
NSC Chairman Huang Cheng-tai declined to comment whether the ROCSAT-2 development project will consequently be aborted. His only comment was, "let's do our utmost for the country."
According to sources, Dornier has made out a contingent proposal that aims to keep the launch plan in place while simultaneously avoiding direct confrontation with Beijing over the issue.
NSC and Dornier signed a contract on Feb. 8 of this year to jointly build the ROCSAT-2 spacecraft as well as one of the two payload systems to be installed on the satellite.
Under the agreement, NSC's Space Program Office (SPO) and Dornier will form a concerted team of specialists to jointly complete the spacecraft's design and make up, develop and manufacture spacecraft parts and components, as well as assist relevant Taiwan companies develop sub-system parts and components.
According to the agreement, Dornier will develop a payload system -- a remote sensing instrument -- for the satellite. The payload system will have a high resolution and varied-band spectra to give the research and communications satellite high-performance capabilities. The capabilities include the scanning and identifying of objects two meters from the ground surface.
It is known that Beijing has constantly interfered with the project. Beijing claims the ROCSAT-2 will be used to conduct espionage activities as it will carry a high-performance camera.
The ROCSAT-2 was originally scheduled to be launched in late 2002. However, due to Beijing's interference, the German government beginning early this year, has on three separate occasions postponed giving Dornier an export permit.
According to the agreement, Dornier must return the US$600,000 deposit to Taiwan if it fails to obtain an export permit by the end of August.
As of Saturday, the SPO has yet to receive its deposit back from Dornier. Huang added that the space office has already suspended payments for any further costs concerning the satellite.
Despite the absence of an export permit, SPO and Dornier actually began their development cooperation in March, when an eight-member SPO mission was sent to Germany to work in a Dornier-contracted laboratory in the southern German town of Friedrichshafen.
Several Taiwan companies, including Shihlin Electric & Engineering, Acer and Yung Tay Engineering, have also joined part and component development plans for ROCSAT-2, according to Huang.
Taiwan's first commercial satellite, ROCSAT-1, was successfully launched in January of this year.
Taiwan originally planned to have three scientific and communications satellites in orbit by the year 2006, at an estimated cost of US$500 million. (By Deborah Kuo)
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