TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of the Environment said on Tuesday that it will collaborate with the Taiwan Space Agency to launch the nation’s first satellite for monitoring air pollution and greenhouse gases.
The ministry attended a meeting held by the National Science and Technology Council on Tuesday. During the meeting, the ministry said that it will invest NT$6.1 billion (US$188 million) to develop four satellites, with the first set to launch in 2029, per CNA.
The ministry’s Monitoring and Information Department Director Hsieh Ping-hui (謝炳輝) said in addition to satellite data, the ministry will also utilize AI to monitor air quality as a reference for air pollution control strategies. The ministry will analyze air circulation patterns up to 3,000 meters above ground and compare them with aircraft observations and drone sampling data to assess pollutant concentrations.
Hsieh said these satellites are expected to monitor the impact of air pollutants from regions such as China and Southeast Asia. National Science and Technology Council Chair Wu Cheng-wen (吳誠文) said the satellites will also help monitor ground vegetation to analyze greenhouse gas emissions.
The TASA-built Parus-T1 satellite, equipped with communication equipment, was launched aboard a SpaceX rocket from the US’ Vandenberg Space Force Base on Wednesday, per CNA.
Last year, the ministry partnered with NASA and local experts to conduct air quality monitoring in Kaohsiung and Pingtung.