Taiwan seeks collaboration with India in outer space

Taiwan's space agency NSPO has sought collaboration with the ISRO, especially in the areas of the outer space and tracking extreme weather events, its officials have said.

Chen-Joe-Fong, the system lead of FORMOSAT-7 programme of the National Space Organisation (NSPO), said they are seeking a collaboration in tracking extreme weather events like cyclones.

On the sidelines of Bengaluru Space Expo 2018, a meeting was also held between the officials of the NSPO and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in which the Taiwanese side pitched for greater cooperation.

"Taiwan is prone to typhoons while India faces cyclones. We have Formosat-5 earth observation satellite. We are looking to collaborate with Antrix (the space arm of the ISRO) on this," Chen said.

Formosat-5, a 450-kg Earth observation satellite was launched in August last year. Plans are on to launch Formosat-7 an advance version, Chen said.

Chen said Taiwan was also looking to collaborate with India in the area of outer space, alluding to India's first inter-planetary mission - Mars Orbiter Mission - and Chandrayaan-1.

India also has plans to further explore Mars and undertake exploration programme for Venus.

Taiwan was a part of the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-02 mission, a particle physics detector on the International Space Station, with a purpose to search outer space for antimatter and dark matter as part of an investigation into the origin of the universe.

"The meeting was very good and we are looking forward for collaboration with the ISRO," Prof Henry H Chen, Counsellor and Director, Science and Technology, at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Centre in New Delhi said.

Requesting anonymity, an ISRO official confirmed the meeting took place.

The official added that the Taiwanese side were looking for a collaboration in launch services. The ISRO is known for providing cheaper launch options.

Taiwan has had active cooperation with the US in the area of space and is now looking at diversifying its ties with other space agencies.